What's new in burn microbiology? James Laing Memorial Prize Essay 2000.

A variety of factors contribute to the development of infection in burned patients. The role of wound management procedures, risk factors associated with infection, typical bacterial pathogens and associated exotoxins, current problems with antibiotic resistance, wound sampling and rare complications of infection are described. The use of new novel treatments that are currently being developed, such as cell signalling molecules and the increasing use of natural antimicrobial agents, for example honey, papaya fruit and tea-tree oil are discussed. The impact of new methods for earlier detection of infectious agents that could change future practices in burn care is also described.