Detecting infection in reduced pressure wound treatment

1. A system for detecting an infection at a wound site, the system comprising:

a source of reduced pressure;

a porous pad adapted to deliver the reduced pressure to the wound site;

a drape adapted to provide a substantially airtight cover over the porous pad and the wound site;

a conduit fluidly connecting the porous pad to the source of reduced pressure, wherein the conduit is configured to withdraw fluid from the wound site in response to the reduced pressure; and

a sensor adapted to identify a product of the infection or a component of an infecting organism in fluid withdrawn from the wound site;

whereby the presence of the product or the component indicates the presence of an infection in the wound.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a photodetector and the porous pad further comprises luciferase and luciferin.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the luciferase is covalently bound to the porous pad.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a compartment for placing a substrate comprising bound antibodies, the compartment adapted to allow fluid to flow onto the antibodies as fluid is drawn from the wound.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a limulus amebocyte lysate.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a microarray.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the microarray is in the reduced pressure source.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a computer capable of recording data from the sensor.

9. A porous pad adapted for distributing reduced pressure to a wound site, wherein the pad comprises luciferase.

10. The porous pad of claim 9 , wherein the luciferase is covalently bound to the pad.

11. The porous pad of claim 9 , further comprising luciferin.