This is a plain-English translation of the academic paper above, prepared for patients, referring clinicians, and other non-specialist readers. It preserves the structure of the original paper while removing technical jargon. For the full clinical paper, follow the PubMed or DOI links.
Background
Every case of fracture-related infection treated at our major trauma centre over six years — 330 separate infection episodes — and exactly which bacteria were responsible.
Rationale
When a patient comes in with an infected fracture, we have to start antibiotics before the lab has had time to grow the bacterium and tell us which one it is. That early choice is called “empirical” antibiotic. To choose well we need to know what bacteria we are most likely facing in the local population.
Results
78 different bacterial species were identified in total. The three most common were Staphylococcus aureus (24%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (14%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8%). Our standard empirical antibiotic regimen would have covered 96% of these infections at first dose — reassuring evidence that it is well-calibrated.
Implications
If you arrive at a UK major trauma centre with an infected fracture, the antibiotic you receive in the first hour has been chosen against real, local data on what is most likely causing the infection. It is not a guess.
Source: Patel KH, Gill LI, Tissingh EK, et al.; Heidari N (collaborator). Microbiological Profile of Fracture Related Infection at a UK Major Trauma Centre. Antibiotics 2023. PMID: 37760655.
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