Bacterial Agents of Abdominal Surgical Site Infections in General Hospital Funtua, Katsina State, North-Western Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Infection continues to be a major complication of abdominal surgeries with significant increased costs, morbidity and potential mortality. Identifying the agents of abdominal wound infection and instituting appropriate measures will go a long way in reducing this problem. Objective: This study was conducted to identify the organisms involved in abdominal wound Infections and document their antibiotic sensitivity pattern at the General Hospital Funtua. Methods: A prospective design was used to conduct the study. Swabs of the clinically infected wounds detected in a population of 127consecutively studied patients were taken and cultured for aerobic bacteria using standard microbiologic methods. Antibiotic sensitivity pattern was also determined for the aerobic organisms cultured. Results: 28(22.05%) of the 127 patients studied developed surgical site infections, based on clinical criteria and 25(19.6%) based on bacteriological criteria. Pseudomonas spp. was the most frequently cultured aerobic organism in 39% (n=11) of the cultures, while Klebsiella in 21% (n=6) and Staphylococcus in 17% (n=5). Over 80% of the organisms demonstrated less than 50% sensitivity to the tested antibiotics. Conclusion: The study showed that gram-negative bacteria are the major agents of abdominal surgical site infections in General Hospital Funtua, Katsina State,Nigeria. It is therefore recommended that there is need for further investigations in the field to confirm the source and microbial resistance pathogen.