Wound infections result in sepsis, limb loss, long hospital stays, higher costs, and are
responsible for significant human mortality and morbidity worldwide. The aim of this study
was to investigate the profile of pathogens cultured from wound infection and determine the
antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. A retrospective analysis of bacterial pathogens and their
antimicrobial susceptibility was done on wound swab samples that have been cultured at
Dessie Regional Laboratory from 2003 to 2010. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were done
using disc diffusion technique as per the standard of Kirby-Bauer method. The mean age of
male and female patients was 31.2 and 29.8 years, respectively with male to female ratio of 1:1.6.
Out of 599 wound swab samples analyzed, 422 (70.5%) were culture positive. A total of 500
bacteria from 422 positive cases were identified. Seventy eight (18.5%) of the culture had double
infections.
Staphylococcus aureus
was the most frequently isolated pathogen which accounted for
208 (41.6%) of isolates followed by
Pseudomonas spp. 92 (18.4%),
E. coli 82 (16.4%),
Proteus spp.
55 (11.0%),
Enterobacter spp. 21 (4.2%), and
Citrobacter spp. 21 (4.2%),
Klebsiella spp. 12 (2.4%)
and Coagulate negative staphylococcus 9 (1.8%). Amoxicillin had the highest resistance rate
78.9%, followed by tetracycline 76.1% and erythromycin (63.9%). The sensitivity rates of
norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin and gentamicin were 95.1%, 91.8% and 85%, respectively. The overall
multiple antimicrobial resistances rate was 65.2% and only 13% of the isolates were sensitive to
all antimicrobial agents tested. The most frequently isolated bacteria were sensitive to
ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, cloxacillin and norfloxacin. These antimicrobials are considered as
appropriate antimicrobials for empirical treatment of wound infections. Periodic surveillance of
aetiology and drug susceptibility both in the community and hospital settings is recommended.
