A case for routine microbial diagnostics: Results from antimicrobial susceptibility testing in post-traumatic wound infections at a Ugandan tertiary care hospital

Abstract

The global spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses an increasing challenge for clinicians in Uganda, where microbiological diagnostics are not routinely available or accessible. The aim of this study was to determine pathogen prevalence and antibiotic resistance patterns in patients with wound infections following trauma at a national referral hospital in Kampala, Uganda. In addition, the suitability of currently used empirical treatment options in this setting was evaluated. This prospective, observational study analysed antimicrobial prescriptions, culture results and antimicrobial sensitivity testing (AST) of wound swabs and blood samples from patients with clinical signs of wound infections on the trauma ward. A total of 124 patients (n = 99, 79.8% male) with a median age of 30 years (IQR 23–39) were enrolled between October 2021 and January 2022. Wound infections were classified as nosocomial in 69% of the cases. Pathogens were isolated from 122 wound swabs, yielding 238 bacterial isolates. The most prevalent pathogens were gram-negative bacteria including Escherichia coli (n = 48, 20.2%) and Acinetobacter spp. (n = 43, 18.1%). Empiric treatment consisted of ceftriaxone and gentamicin which was administered to 67.2% (n = 78) and 62.1% (n = 72) of patients, respectively. High rates of antimicrobial resistance could be demonstrated across gram-negative and gram-positive species towards the most common empiric antibiotics. Following the AST results, over 95% (n = 111) of patients required a change of treatment. Our findings demonstrate that current empiric treatment for wound infections is missing its target in hospitalized patients in Kampala. To address the growing problem of AMR in Uganda, there is a pressing need to enhance diagnostic capacity and implement structured antimicrobial stewardship programs.

Antibiogram Profiling of Antibiotics in Ear, Nose, and Throat Infections in Tertiary Healthcare Settings

“…With the prevalence of high levels of antimicrobial resistance to most of the commonly used antibiotics in ENT infections and recent reports on ampicillin and multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens among the bacterial invaders, the need for prior antimicrobial testing and profiling of the antibiogram has become a necessity to prevent further complications [5][6][7]. Therefore, an antibiogram profiling is important to determine resistance in these infections for appropriate antibiotic selection in treatment in a tertiary care setting [8]. The objective of this research was to identify the most common bacteria that are resistant to different antibiotics in patients with ENT infections in hospitals and the antibiogram profile of isolated organisms.…”

Antibiotic Profiling of E. coli Borne UTI Infection in Tertiary Healthcare Settings

“…Depending on the specific symptoms and complications associated with the E. coli infection, additional supportive care measures may be employed. Women are commonly diagnosed with E. coli infections using a combination of clinical examination, medical history analysis, and laboratory investigations [8][9][10][11]. Timely and accurate diagnosis is crucial for initiating appropriate treatment to manage E. coli infections effectively.…”