Abstract

Wound infections remain a significant global healthcare challenge, which contributes to delays in wound healing, increase in morbidity, and rising costs.  Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the antibiotic resistance pattern of bacteria associated with wounds from patients in a tertiary health institution in Port Harcourt. A total number of one hundred (100) wound specimens from 45 male and 55 female patients were collected with sterile swab sticks, for a period of 6 months at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching hospital and transported aseptically in ice packs for microbiological analysis in the Department of Microbiology Laboratory, Rivers State University. The bacteria contaminants were isolated using standard bacteriological procedures. The response of the isolates to conventional and crude honey was analyzed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Molecular characterization was achieved using a PCR-dependent technique. The age range of 41-50years had the highest number of population (32 %) while 51-60 and 61-70 years had the lowest number (5 %.). Staphylococcus spp had the highest prevalence as it occurred in 85% of the wound cases, while Pseudomonas was the least prevalent with 39%. Results of biofilm production showed that, 62% of the isolates produced biofilm, while 38% were negative. The results for honey indicated that it was inhibitory against 69% of the isolates, with no potency observed against 31% of the isolates used in the study. The sensitivity pattern of each isolate showed that Staphylococcus spp was resistant to Azithromycin, for Gram negative bacterial isolates, Pseudomonanas spp had the highest resistance to ciprofloxican and Klebsiella spp was highly resistance to Seprin. Molecular analysis identified the isolates from the specimens as Staphylococcus aureus (ON571652.1) Pseudomonas aeruginosa (AF440523.1), and Escherichia coli (LC595306.1).