Seven-year experience with a ‘quarantine and isolation unit’ for patients with burns. A retrospective analysis

In the burns unit of the Red Cross Hospital, Beverwijk, The Netherlands we performed a retrospective analysis to evaluate whether the spread of multi-resistant micro-organisms (MRMO) in burn victims with a high risk of contamination can be prevented by isolation in a quarantine and isolation unit (QIU). We analysed 1006 patients who where consecutively admitted to the burns unit between 26-03-1985 and 31-12-1992. The age, TBSA, and the bacteriological status of all patients were recorded. With regard to the stay in the QIU we recorded the actual number of days between the accident and the time of admission, the duration of the stay, and the therapy given. Of 1006 patients, 72 met the criteria of the Dutch Health Inspectorate for classification as high risk of MRMO contamination. Sixty-one of these 72 patients were treated in the QIU. The mean duration of stay in the QIU was 8.2 days, admission was at 10.2 days postburn, and 20 patients did harbour MRMO. There was no report of any cross-contamination. Since the QIU became operational there have been no outbreaks of MRMO in our burns unit. In our opinion this shows the effectiveness of the QIU.