Abstract

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The study identified the bacterial isolates associated with the postoperative wound of women that underwent a hysterectomy and determined their susceptibility pattern to some antibiotics. Sixty (60) specimens of a postoperative wound from patients that underwent hysterectomy were aseptically collected and cultured using standard microbiological procedures. The isolates were identified using Gram stain and biochemical methods, and disc diffusion method was used to test for the susceptibility pattern of the isolates. Six bacterial isolates, namely Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus specie, Klebsiella species, and Proteus species, were isolated. Amongst the six isolates, Pseudomonas aeruginosa had the highest frequency of occurrence 12(29.3%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus 10(24.4%), Klebsiella specie 8(19.5%), Escherichia coli, 5(12.5%) while the least was recorded against Proteus specie 2(4.9%). Among the Gram-positive bacteria, the high level of resistance was recorded by Streptococcus specie (80%) against penicillin, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (70%). In comparison, the least level of resistance was observed with ampicillin (25%) against Streptococcus specie. The zone of inhibition of the antibiotics against the isolates ranges from 8.7–17.3mm for the Gram negative and 8.2-17.6mm for Gram-positive isolates. Streptomycin and Gentamicin had the highest inhibition (17.3mm) against Gram-negative, while penicillin produces the highest zone of inhibition against the Gram-positive isolates. The study identifies the pronounce resistance of isolates to commonly used antibiotics, which suggested the need for rational use of the drugs to prevent the emergence of multi drug resistant strains. Appropriate infection control measures and sound antibiotic policy are necessary to reduce postoperative wound infections.

Keywords: Susceptibility pattern, Postoperative wounds, Hysterectomy, Bacteria isolates.