Dynamics of the Microbial Contamination of the Skin of Auricle after Piercing (experimental study)

The microbial contamination of skin causes such processes as interspecific relationships of micro- and macroorganisms which affect numerous environmental factors. Piercing is one of such factors. Serious threat to life in the otorhinolaryngological practice is constituted by bacterial and fungal inflammatory processes. The aim of the paper was to study dynamics of the microbial contamination before and 60 days after piercing manipulations with use of products which were made of gold, silver, steel and titanium. Materials and methods. Our experimental studies were conducted on 32 Chinchilla rabbits of both sexes, each animal weight was 4 kg. Lab animals were divided into 4 groups. Each group contained 8 rabbits. Implants (earrings) were fixed in the auricular region. All experimental animals were divided into 4 groups depending on the type of the product material: the first one presented gold, the second one included silver, the third group presented steel, and the fourth one included titanium. Microorganisms were secured to the following standard methods and were identified by MICRO-LA-TEST®sets. Holding and observation by experimental animals were done according to International Norms GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) in Experimental Biological Clinic of Kharkiv National Medical University. Results. The study of the normal microflora of the skin of auricle during was done on the 60th days after piercing. Clinically, by the 7th day of the study hyperaemia and oedema was developed in experimental animals. But, by the 14th day of the experiment the first and the second groups demonstrated regress of inflammatory process. The third and the fourth groups demonstrated purulent discharge. After 28 days, there was reduction of discharge from the wound canal area in the group of animals with implanted titanium products, and absolute absence of some pathological discharge in groups with gold and silver products. Conclusions. The pierced area revealed changes in the microbial contamination of the skin of auricle on the 7th , 14th , 28th and 60th days after the procedure. It was established that composition of the skin microflora in the area of piercing did not change, but there was a strong tendency to a quantitative reduction up to the complete elimination of pathogenic microorganisms with use of silver products after 14 days.