RESUMEN
Aims: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that still develops life threatening infections in patients with immunological system defects like burns. The major problem with this organism is the ability to persist during infections due to its high rate of resistance to many drugs. This study was designed to evaluate the prevalence and drug susceptibility profile of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients admitted to a burn unit in a tertiary health facility. Methodology and Result: From 80 selected patients, appropriate clinical specimens from burn sites were collected and processed for the isolation and identification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.. Also, 78 surveillance samples from various environmental sites and hands impressions of nursing staff in the burn unit were cultured for the isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Drug susceptibility profile showed high resistance for ceftazidime (40.7%) ciprofloxacin (13.1%) and piperacillin (34.6%); furthermore, low resistance for some antibiotics like imipenem (17.5%) pipereracillin/tazobactam (12.3%) and aztreonam (16%) were obtained. In addition, 8 multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MRPA) isolates were recovered from clinical specimens and from environmental samples. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: Evidence of high prevalence of clinical and environmental MRPA reported in this study provides the rationale for strict enforcement of infection prevention protocol to minimize cross transmission of bacterial pathogens in hospital burn units and consequent disease burden arising from MRPA.
RESUMEN
Aims: Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization is an important risk factor for developing a wide range of infections in clinical setting. This study was aimed at determining the extent of staphylococcal carriages including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in post-surgical patients and employees in a tertiary health facility. Methodology and Results: Between April and July 2010, 240 post-surgical patients and 80 hospital personnel at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar were enrolled in the present study. All subjects consented to participation in the study and those who had previous medical history or treatment on antibiotic in the last six months prior to enrolment were noted. Nasal specimens collected from carrier and post-surgical sites in individuals (15-63 years) who were hospitalized for at least 21 days were immediately placed in Staurts’ transport medium and kept at 4 °C before being analyzed accordingly and screened for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Out of a total number of 320 subjects examined within a period of 4 months 144 (45%) were carriers of Staphylococcus aureus and 55 (38%) of these were MRSA. Demographic and clinical data of subjects indicated more male carriers (60.7%) confined to older age groups above 35 years. There was a significant difference (p> 0.05) in Staphylococcus aureus carriage for subjects with recent medical history of hospitalization or treatment with antibiotics. There also appears to be a considerable association (50.9%) between nasal carriage status and autoinfection of post-surgical wounds. A good proportion of all strains tested were resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Approximately 89% of MRSA were resistant to penicillin. Resistant rate against other antibiotics was largely below 30%. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: An improved understanding of nasal carriage is needed to foster development of new strategies to reduce colonization and subsequent infection with bacteria.