Aminoglycosides, Beta-lactamases, Quinolones Resistance Genes Detection, and Multidrug Resistance Pattern in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Citrobacter freundii Recovered From Wound Infections in Southwestern Nigeria

Background: Wound infection is a key worry for healthcare workers due to increased patient trauma, financial burden, and increased cost-effective therapy. The increase in multiple drug-resistant pathogens is an emerging challenge in healthcare settings today, which leads to treatment failure and prolonged hospital stays. The study assessed the occurrence, antibiogram profile, and antibiotic resistance genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Citrobacter freundii isolated from wound infections. Methods: Wound samples were collected from health clinics and centers in Odeomu, Osun State. The wound samples were analyzed using standard microbiological techniques for cultural, morphological, and biochemical characterization of the isolates. The antibiotic sensitivity was evaluated by the disk diffusion method, and the results were interpreted. The genomic DNA was extracted and amplified by polymerase chain reaction to detect aminoglycoside, beta-lactamase, and quinolone resistance genes. Results: Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most prevalent bacterium, accounting for 21.8%, followed by C. freundii at 18.7%. The organisms showed varying degrees of high resistance (100%) to the antibiotics used. The isolates were 100% susceptible to gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and ofloxacin. Multiple-antibiotic resistance is highly prevalent among the isolates recovered from the wound infection. Klebsiella pneumoniae and C. freundii showed 100% positive for beta-lactamase genes (TEM, SHV, and CTX-M) and 50% positive for aminoglycoside and quinolone genes (AAC, QNRB), respectively. Conclusion: Klebsiella pneumoniae and C. freundii recovered from this study are highly multidrug resistant, and they harbored beta-lactamase genes, aminoglycoside genes, and quinolone genes.