Antibiotic-Resistant Pattern and Multiple Antibiotic Index of Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Wound Infection Patients in a Tertiary Institution in South Eastern Nigeria

This study evaluated the Antibiotic Resistant Pattern and Multiple Antibiotic Index of multidrug-resistant S. aureus from wound infection patients in Federal Medical Center Umuahia, Abia State.

A total of 300 wound swab samples from diabetic leg ulcers, accident wounds, burn wounds and surgical site wounds were collected from different wards and cultured on Blood agar and Mannitol Salt agar.

S. aureus was isolated from 50 (16.7%) samples, of which, 14 (28%) were diabetic leg ulcers, 11 (22%) accident wounds, 16 (32%) burn wounds, and 9 (18%) surgical site wounds. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the different wards and sites of collection and between age and those with highly resistant S. aureus.  The antimicrobial resistance profile of the isolates in the study samples from wound swabs and surgical site wounds was highest in amoxicillin (100%), erythromycin (100%), and Norfloxacin (100%). The overall prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was 14.0%, while 66% of the S.aureus was multidrug-resistant. Multiple antibiotic resistance index from the study was between 0.4 - 0.6.

Antibiotic susceptibility testing should be performed before treatment and adequate measures should be taken.