MULTI-DRUG RESISTANCE PATTERN OF PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA AMONGST CLINICAL SAMPLES FROM SURGICAL UNIT IN EDO SPECIALIST HOSPITAL BENIN CITY, NIGERIA

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading cause of nosocomial infections in surgical units, presenting significant challenges in hospital settings worldwide. The study aims to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from Surgical Unit in Edo specialist Hospital (ESH), Benin City, Edo State. This was a cross- sectional based study conducted at Edo Specialist Hospital, from November 2023 to July, 2024. A total of one hundred clinical wound swabs were obtained from the participants using pre-tested questionnaires. Samples were inoculated and bacteria were isolated using standard microbiological methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by modified Kirby Bauer’s method. Multidrug resistant isolates were further subjected to molecular method of plasmid DNA analysis. Obtained data was analyzed using Statistical package for social science (SPSS). The prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 21.3% irrespective of other bacteria isolates. Susceptibility profiles of P. aeruginosa isolates in our study were all 100% resistant to Cefuroxime, Ceftriaxone, Oxacillin, Augmentin and Erythromycin and 70% least resistant to Ciprofloxacin antibiotics used. The bacteria isolates exhibited a higher sensitivity pattern to the Imipenem antibiotic. The PCR techniques also revealed that all the P. aeruginosa that were resistant to Augmentin expressed the (SHV) resistance genes with bands at 100bp in the clinical isolates from surgical wound infections in ESH. In conclusion, there was a high prevalence of multi-drug-resistant P. aeruginosa in surgical wound infections at ESH. The genetic evidence of resistance mechanisms in this study indicates the need for rigorous infection control measures to prevent the spread of these resistant strains.