Antibiotic Susceptibility Profile of Bacteria Isolated from Wounds of Students in Tertiary Institution in Imo State Nigeria

The antibiotic susceptibility Profile of bacteria isolated from wounds of students attending Imo State University, owerri was studied. Thirty wound samples were aseptically collected, isolated, characterized and identified using standard microbiological methods. Sub-cultured colonies were identified using morphological characteristics and biochemical tests. The total heterotrophic plate bacterial counts ranged from 1.1-4.6 x 106 cfu/ml. The total Coliform bacteria plate counts ranged from 1.0-3.2 x 106 cfu/ml, and the total Staphylococcal plate counts ranged from 1.0-2.8 x 106 cfu/. The Isolates were further subjected to molecular studies using the 16S rRNA sequences. The results of the isolation and identification revealed the following isolates namely, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumonia. Percentage occurrence showed that 53% were Gram-positive organisms and 47% were Gram-negative organisms. Staphylococcus aureus was found to be the most frequent isolate (44%), followed by Escherichia coli (22%), Pseudomonas aerogenosa (14%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (12%) and Streptococcus pyogenes (8%). Antibiotic susceptibility profile was determined using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method where the susceptibility of the isolates in wounds infections was observed. The findings showed that Ceftazidime was the most sensitive antibiotic especially against Staphylococcus aureus. It was also observed that the bacterial isolates had different levels of sensitivity to Ceftazidime, Cefuroxime, imipenem, Cefixime, Ofloxacin, Augmentin and Ciprofloxacin, while the bacterial isolates were resistant to only vancomycin. There is need to have a prior knowledge of the causative organisms of wound infections so that it will be a helpful tool in selecting the empiric antimicrobial therapy to control and treat wound infections.