[Value of cutaneous allografts in the treatment of severe burns].

Skin allografts are essential for survival in patients who have suffered major third degree burns over more than 50% of the body surface in order to maintain covering until autografts from less severely wounded areas can be performed or until keratinocyte cultures have grown. Allografts have thus been increasingly used for severe burn patients. It has been estimated that 150 m2 are grafted per year in France.

Use of random amplified polymorphic DNA as a typing method for Candida albicans in epidemiological surveillance of a burn unit.

Burn patients are particularly exposed to deep-seated nosocomial infections caused by Candida species. Superficial carriage of C. albicans is a potential source of infection and dissemination, and typing methods could be useful to trace the different isolates.

Survival rates of patients hospitalized in French burns units during 1985.

This survey analyses data from 17 French burn units with respect to age, severity of injury and survival of patients admitted to hospital during 1985. Of the 2398 patients treated, more than half were between 15 and 50 years old. About 90 per cent of the patients had burns covering less than 50 per cent of the body surface area.