Microbial Profile of Wound Infections in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital

ABSTRACT

Background: This study set out to investigate the aerobic and facultative anaerobic microbial profile of wound infections in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Methods: A total of 202 wound swabs samples were randomly collected from both in and out-patients presenting at the facility. One hundred and thirteen(55.9) of the samples were collected from males while 89(44.6) were from females. The age of the patients ranged from 32 days to 80 years. Samples were processed following standard operating protocols in the microbiology laboratory. Results: Of the 202 samples examined; 164(81.2) had microbial isolates while 38(18.8) yielded no growth. Among the 164 samples with positive microbial growth; 124(75.6) had single isolates while 40(24.4) had polymicrobial growth. Of the 113 males studied; 90(79.7) had microbial growth while 23(20.4) had no growth. Similarly; of the 89 females studied; 74(83.2) had microbial growth while 15(16.9) had no growth. Furthermore; the total microbial isolates from the study was 206. Gram-negative bacterial organisms accounted for 124(60.1) as against 82(39.9) from the Gram-positive's (p