Bacteriological Pattern of Wound Swab Isolates in
Patients with Chronic Leg Ulcer
Abayomi Fadeyi 1*, Ismaila A Adigun2,
Ganiyu A Rahman3
1Department of Medical Microbiology,
University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria.
2Division of Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Ilorin
Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria.
3Division
of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of
Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria
*For
Correspondence:
Tel:
+234-803-359-7835
E-mail:
abayomifadeyi@yahoo.com
International Journal of Health Research,
December
2008; 1(4):
183-188 (e141p3-8)
Received:
25-Nov-08 Revised:
29-Nov-08 Accepted: 29-Dec-08
Original
Research Article
Abstract
PURPOSE:
To determine the pattern of bacterial pathogens and
their antibiotic sensitivity profile in patients with
infected chronic leg ulceration.
METHODS:
Sixty swab specimens obtained from chronic leg ulcer (CLU)
patients were cultured aerobically and the antibiotic
sensitivity pattern of the recovered organisms
determined by the modified Kirby-Bauer disc-diffusion
method.
RESULTS:
47 (78.3%) of the ulcers were infected out of which 39
(83.0%) were culture positive. Most of the culture
positive ulcers were on the distal third of the leg. The
isolated bacteria from the wounds were Pseudomonas
aeruginosa (33%), Staphylococcus aureus
(24%), Proteus spp (15%), Klebsiella spp
(13%), Citrobacter spp (13%) and Escherichia
coli (2%). None of the patient without
clinical evidence of wound infection had bacterial
positive wound swab culture. All isolates were
sensitive to third generation cephalosporin and
floroquinolones but majority were resistant to
ampicillin.
CONCLUSION:
Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
Staphyloco-ccus aureus.
Proteus spp,
Klebsiella spp, Citrobacter spp and
Escherichia coli sensitive to third generation
cephalosporin and floroquinolones have been recovered
from 78% of patients with chronic leg ulcers in a
tertiary health facility in Nigeria.
Keywords:
Bacteriology; Chronic leg ulcer; Wound swab
