Abstract
Objective: To investigate the trends in emerging antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens isolated from patients of wound infections from Sukkur district, Sindh.
Methodology: In this cross sectional, descriptive study, bacterial isolates were identified using microscopic and standard biochemical methods. In vitro, antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique.
Results: A total of 48 bacterial isolates including Staphylococcus aureus (n=23) Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=10), β-hemolytic streptococci (n=9), Escherichia coli (n=6), were recovered from different wound specimens. The Staphylococcus aureus had acquired resistance to penicillin (95.7%), methicillin (52.2%), while vancomycin remained the most effective antibiotic with 100% sensitivity rate followed by clindamycin (73.9%). Importantly, 83.33% Escherichia coli isolates were resistant to ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, and 66.66% were resistant to aztreonam and cefipime while showing sensitivity to amikacin, imipenem and meropenem. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, high rate of resistance against gentamicin while sensitivity (90.0%) to polymyxin B was observed. Resistance to antibiotics in β-hemolytic streptococci was not profound.
Conclusions: The pathogens have acquired resistance to the frontline antibiotics emphasizing the need for antibiotic stewardship in Pakistan.
