Allogeneic skin donors from a tissue bank in Southern Brazil: clinical and epidemiological profiles and microbial colonization of skin

Abstract

Background: An allogeneic human skin graft is a temporary biologic dressing used in extensive burns that can be a providential treatment for affected patients. Skin quality depends directly on its microbial decontamination after processing in a tissue bank. Our objective was to describe the skin donor profiles in relation to the analysis of the microbial colonization of the donated skin.

Methods: This clinical study includes epidemiological and microbiological data on skin donors from 2012 to 2014. The donor information database was compiled from the medical records of skin donors filed in the tissue bank. The donors were assessed regarding the microbial colonization of the skin at the time of processing in the tissue bank.

Results: We found a statistically significant association (P = 0.020) between lower average age of the donor and the presence of microbial colonization. We observed that Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) are associated with male gender (P = 0.015), source hospital A (P = 0.034), and over 7 days stay in an intensive care unit (ICU) (P = 0.001). We also observed that Staphylococcus aureus is associated with skin-harvesting hospital C (P = 0.034) and that Gram-positive bacilli (GPB) are associated with up to 7 days stay in an ICU (P = 0.009).

Conclusions: We found significant associations between the type of microorganism colonizing the skin and the epidemiological and clinical profiles of the donors. This information is extremely important when determining the potential use of skin source and so optimizing the donation of allogeneic skin for transplantation.