The Infection Continuum immunity. This results in an To reduce the bacterial load in assessment.(Refer to Infected / Type indolent wound that does not the wound bed to prevent Critically Colonised Wound respond to appropriate therapy clinical infection and promote Management Algorithm) CRITICALLY and is at increased risk of wound healing COLONISED becoming clinically infected Consider using an antimicrobial dressing. The choice of dressing will Treatment Option Host be determined by other wound and defences patient characteristics e.g. exudate, Undertake full, holistic unable to tissue type, location, known assessment. (Refer to Infected / Host defences overwhelmed maintain sensitivities. Critically Colonised Wound resulting in local cellulitis, which healthy Management Algorithm) may lead to bacteraemia, balance; septicaemia and death. Clinical either too INFECTED Consider using an antimicrobial signs of infection will be present many dressing. The choice of dressing (see criteria for diagnosis of microbes or will be determined by other clinical wound infection) and the Increasing too many wound and patient characteristics patient will feel systemically bacterial species in e.g. exudate, tissue type, unwell Linked Information burden wound base location, known sensitivities. Infected wound guideline or a Management Aim Undertake full, holistic
The Infection Continuum Type CRITICALLY COLONISED INFECTED Increasing bacterial burden Host defences unable to maintain healthy balance; either too many microbes or too many species in wound base or a immunity. This results in an indolent wound that does not respond to appropriate therapy and is at increased risk of becoming clinically infected Host defences overwhelmed resulting in local cellulitis, which may lead to bacteraemia, septicaemia and death. Clinical signs of infection will be present (see criteria for diagnosis of clinical wound infection) and the patient will feel systemically unwell Management Aim To reduce the bacterial load in the wound bed to prevent clinical infection and promote wound healing Treatment Option Undertake full, holistic assessment. (Refer to Infected / Critically Colonised Wound Management Algorithm) Consider using an antimicrobial dressing. The choice of dressing will be determined by other wound and patient characteristics e.g. exudate, tissue type, location, known sensitivities. Undertake full, holistic assessment.(Refer to Infected / Critically Colonised Wound Management Algorithm) Consider using an antimicrobial dressing. The choice of dressing will be determined by other wound and patient characteristics e.g. exudate, tissue type, location, known sensitivities. Linked Information Infected wound guideline