Understanding the impact of spinal cord injury on the microbiota of healthy skin and pressure injuries.

ABSTRACT: Pressure injuries (PI) are a common issue among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), especially in the sitting areas of the body. Considering the risk of infections occurring to PI during the wound healing process, the skin microbiome is likely to be a source of bacteria. We investigated the relationship between skin and PI microbiomes, and assessed any correlation with clinically relevant outcomes related to PI. Samples were isolated from SCI patients undergoing reconstructive surgery of PI, severity grades III and IV. DNA samples from skin and PI were analysed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Our results showed disparities in microbiome composition between skin and PI. The skin had lower diversity, while PI showed increased bacterial homogeneity as the severity grade progressed. The

SUBMITTER: Wettstein R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10397227 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature