Antibiotics Resistance and Plasmid Profile of Clinical Bacterial Isolates Obtained from Brait-Whyte Memorial Specialist Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Antibiotics resistance pattern of bacterial isolates has caused both economic and societal loses to mankind. In this study, ethical approval and samples were sought and obtained from the Brait-Whyte Memorial specialist hospital in Rivers State. Two hundred and seven (207) samples were obtained from both female (71%) and male (21%) sourced samples covering endocervical, throat, ear, wound, urethral, skin and high vaginal swabs. Biochemical and Molecular approaches were employed in the identification of multidrug-resistant isolates from the isolates obtained from the study. Kirby-Bauer method was employed in the determination of antibiotics susceptibility profile. Female patients with the age 25-35 years and 35-44 years were observed to be most frequent for High vaginal and wound swab bacterial isolate colonization cases. Twenty-six isolates were observed to be resistant to Augmentin, Ceftazidime, Gentamicin, Ofloxacin, Cefuroxime. Over 90% of the bacterial isolates were resistant to Cloxacillin, 76% for Ceftriaxone. Enterobacter ludwigii was identified to be both multidrug resistant and plasmid-mediated form of resistance with multiple plasmids with Molecular weight of 13065, 9139, 2350 and 854bps whereas Klebsiella aerogenes was observed to have three distinct plasmid-bands with 10173, 2525 and 2118 bp. This study further supports the role of plasmids in the resistance profile and drug idiosyncrasies of nosocomial and pathogenic bacterial flora, reported in Port Harcourt metropolis. There is a necessary to intensify public campaigns and awareness against unsafe drug administration practices and self-medication trends.