Accelerated healing in infected wounds.

The effect of a standardized infection of pure and mixed cultures of gram-negative bacteria and a gram-positive coccus was studied in laparotomy wounds of rats. The infections were significantly stronger than in the control group wounds in 14 of 15 comparisons. This increased strength could not be correlated with an increased wound content of collagen. Results of histologic studies showed a vigorous inflammatory response which probably was responsible for the increased strength. There was a suggestion in our data to support the concept that certain bacteria evoke the proper inflammatory response to result in stronger wounds, while others provoke too little or too much inflammation.