CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY OF DIFFERENT BACTERIA FROM BURN WOUND INFECTIONS

Abstract

Human skin integrity is important for protection against infections, maintenance of body fluid and thermoregulation. Burn injury compromises the skin barrier and allows bacteria to enter, hence delaying the healing of burn wounds. Therefore, this study is aimed to find out the bacteriological profile of post burn and evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of the organisms isolated. A total of 25 samples from patients with burn wound infections were collected from Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar. Data on age, gender and type of burn were also collected from the patients’ clinical folder. The samples were plated on MacConkey and blood agar. Biochemical tests were carried out on the representative isolates on each plate and antibacterial susceptibility pattern was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Out of the total 25 samples, 75% were collected from female patients, while 25% from male patients. Most of the patients 40% were within the in 21-30 years age group, followed by 20% in 31-40 years age group, 15% in 41-50 years age group, 10% in 1-10 years age group, 5% in 51-60, and with the 61-70 years age group having zero number of patients. Electricity was the cause of burn in 25% of people, flame was responsible for 45% of burn injuries and 30% of patients had been burned by scald. Out of the total 25 blood samples, 80% of the samples were culture positive and 20% of the samples were culture negative. Among positive samples, the predominant organisms isolated were Staphylococcus. aureus (55%) followed by Pseudomonas (35%), Klebsiella (10%). The results of antibiotic susceptibility testing showed that all the Staphylococcus. aureus isolates were methicillin resistant Staphylococcus. aureus (MRSA), while all other bacterial isolates exhibited resistance to multiple drugs. Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and MDR bacteria are the most common isolates associated with burn wounds in Peshawar, Pakistan. Hence a careful selection of antibiotics to control the wound infection is required for proper management of burn wounds in order to help reduce resistance issue.