Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of the Bacterial Isolates in Post-Operative Wound Infections in Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital Kano, Nigeria
aDalhatu, A., bHayat, I. G.,. aAdelani,T. W; cMuhammed, A.; aHadad , M. M. & aHamza, R.
aDepartment of Nursing Sciences, Bayero University Kano
bDepartment of Nursing Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
cDepartment of Human Physiology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
E-mails: adamudalhatu206@gmail.com, profandnafs@yahoo.com
Corresponding Author:Dalhatu, A.
ABSTRACT
Bacterial post-operative wound infection has been known to be the most common complication of abdominal surgeries in both low and middle income settings with significant increased costs, morbidity and potential mortality. Documenting the agents of abdominal wound infection and prescribing the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern will go a long way in reducing this burden. This study aimed at documenting the organisms implicated in abdominal wound Infections and prescribing their antibiotic sensitivity pattern at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital Kano.A prospective design was employed to conduct the study. Swabs of the clinically infected wounds detected in a population of 60 consecutively studied patients were taken, and samples were cultured on Blood and MacConkey agar media and incubated aerobically and anaerobically for 48 hours. Isolation and identification of the organism was done by standard microbiological methods. Antibiotic sensitivity pattern was also determined for the aerobic organisms cultured. 10(16.6%) of the 60 patients studied developed surgical site infections, based on clinical criteria and 8(13.3%) based on bacteriological criteria. E.Coli, Klebsiella and Staphlococcus aureus were the most frequently cultured aerobic organism in 25% (n=2 ) of the cultures, while Pseudomonas spp and Proteus were in 7.5% (n=1) . Over 80% of the organisms demonstrated less than 50% sensitivity to the tested antibiotics. The study showed that gram -negative bacteria are the major agents of abdominal surgical site infections and a high level of antimicrobial resistance 75-100% was observed in gram negative bacterial isolates and therefore, recommend that rational use of antibiotics and a regular monitoring of patients in post-operative wound infections are essential.
Keywords: Bacterial Isolates, Surgical Wounds, Infection, Surgery
