Staphylococcus aureus from the Microbial Load of Open Wounds from Patients Attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria

Abstract

1.1. Background: Staphylococcus aureus is the causative agent of a wide variety of infections in humans including diseases of the skin and soft tissues. It causes disease like skin pustules, impetigo and also form part of microbial community in wounds which can also lead to serious infections such as bacteremia. 1.2. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the relative proportion of S. aureus among the microbial community of open wound. 1.3. Methods: A total of 264 open wound samples were used for the study. The organisms isolated were characterized and identified phenotypically using conventional biochemical tests and the tested for antibiotic susceptibility testing using disc diffusion technique. 1.4. Results: Of the total wound samples, 245(92.8%) were cultured positive, of which 107(40.53%) were Gram positive cocci and 138(52.26%) were Gram negative bacilli. Of the 107 Gram positive cocci isolated, 69(64.49%) were S. aureus, 14(13.08%) were other Staphylococcus species, while 24(22.43%) were Streptococcus species. Out of the 69 (28.16%) S. aureus isolates, 21 (30.43%) were found to be positive for the production of beta lactamase enzyme. Age group 0-10years had the highest percentage of the S. aureus isolates with 37.68% while the least was 71-80 with 4.35 % respectively. Antibiotic susceptibility test of the sixty nine (69) S. aureus isolates revealed ciprofloxacin and erythromycin to be more effective with sensitivity rates of 75.56% and 75.76% respectively. Cotrimoxazole and amoxyclav sharply resisted with 68.42% and 64.71% as their resistant rates respectively. 1.5. Conclusion: The study aid in isolating the Staphylococcus aureus isolates from open wound with its proper identification using standard biochemical tests. Erythromycin and ciprofloxacin are the most effective antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus isolates from open wounds in Kano.