Carrier Rate and Production of β-lactamase Extended Spectrum by Bacillus cereus Isolated from Patients with Wounds Attending Government Hospitals in Ondo State

The carrier rate and production of β-lactamase Extended Spectrum by Bacillus cereus isolated from patients with wounds attending government hospitals in Ondo State was investigated. The bacteria isolated from the wounds were Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Male patients had a higher carrier rate of B. cereus (53.85%) compared to females. The age range of 45-54 years was the most carrier rate of B. cereus with percentage of 35.90%. Farmer had the highest percentage carrier rate among the occupation observed. Skin infections were the common wound infected with B. cereus with percentage positivity of 30.77%. Twenty five (64.10%) out of the 39 isolates of B. cereus isolated from the respondent are Extended Spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producer. Bacillus cereus is increasingly recognized as a significant bacterial pathogen in immune suppressed hosts. The resistance of B. cereus in the course of the study was ESBL mediated. The contamination of wound could be through contact with hospital environmental surfaces or the cross infection from health workers to patients. Therefore, wounds should be cover appropriately by trained personnel in order to avoid microorganism gaining entrance into the blood through wound especially B. cereus which could cause serious system diseases.