Experimental animal model of surgical wound infection applicable to antibiotic prophylaxis

Abstract
Wound infection, defined as accumulation of pus draining spontaneously or after opening of the Wound, developed in 19 out of 22 guinea pigs (86 %) after intraincisional contamination with 107 Escherichia coli plus 108 Bacteroides fragilis before wound closure. Antibiotic prophylaxis with gentamicin plus clindamycin significantly reduced the wound sepsis rate from 86 % to 29 % (pEscherichia coli andBacteroides fragilis. The animal model Presented employs widely accepted criteria for wound infection, and avoids culture of tissue homogenates.