Clinico-bacteriological profile of primary pyodermas in Kashmir: A hospital-based study

Abstract

Pyodermas are a common group of infectious dermatologicalconditions on which few studies have been conducted. This study aimed tocharacterise the clinical and bacteriological profile of pyodermas, and todetermine the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)infection in primary pyodermas in a dermatology outpatient department in Kashmir.Methods We conducted a hospital based cross-sectional study in the outpatientDepartment of Dermatology, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Leprosy of ShriMaharaja Hari Singh Hospital, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Patientspresenting with primary pyodermas were included in the study. A detailed historyand complete physical and cutaneous examination was carried out along withmicrobiological testing to find aetiological microorganisms and their respectiveantimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, includingthat for methicillin resistance, was carried out by standard methods as outlinedin the current Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines.Results In total, 110 patients were included; the age of the study populationranged from 3 to 65 years (mean age 28 years); 62% were male. Poor personalhygiene was noted in 76 (69%). Furunculosis (56; 51%) was the most commonclinical presentation. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 89 (81%) of cases, andMRSA formed 54/89 (61%) of Staphylococcus aureus isolates. All MRSA strainswere sensitive to vancomycin.Conclusion The prevalence of MRSA was high in this sample of communityacquiredprimary pyodermas. It is therefore important to monitor the changingtrends in bacterial infection and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and toformulate a definite antibiotic policy which may be helpful in decreasing theincidence of MRSA infection.