One of the major morbidities of patients with
epidermolysis bullosa is the tendency to develop chronic
wounds, which predisposes them to multiple complications including life-threatening
infections,
failure to thrive, and
squamous cell carcinomas. Chronic
wounds frequently become colonized with bacteria, and we sought to identify the most common microorganisms isolated on cultures from patients with
epidermolysis bullosa. We conducted a retrospective review of positive
wound, nasal, and blood cultures, including bacterial, fungal and viral, in 30 patients with
epidermolysis bullosa. Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp., diptheroids, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida sp. were the most commonly isolated microorganisms in
wound cultures from our
epidermolysis bullosa patients. Two patients had viral cultures that grew herpes simplex virus type-1. Bacterial colonization of chronic
wounds can lead to
infections and may also impact wound healing. Results from this study provide data on which to base empiric
antibiotic choice in patients with
epidermolysis bullosa when needed and may be useful in planning strategies for decolonization and improved wound healing in this population.