Bacteriology And Antimicrobial Suceptibility Profile Of Agents Of Orofacial Infections In Nigerians

Abstract

A prospective study to determine the pattern of microorganisms seen in orofacial infections as well as investigating the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of the isolates was undertaken. Specimens were obtained aseptically from 25 patients presenting with orofacial infections at the Department of Oral Surgery and Pathology, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The specimens were transported in an anaerobically pre-reduced transport medium for processing in the laboratory. Isolation and identification were done employing standard bacteriological techniques. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by the disc diffusion method. All the 25 clinical samples obtained yielded growth of bacteria. Anaerobes were cultured from 24 (96%) specimens while 1 specimen yielded only aerobic isolates. Altogether, 44 bacterial isolates were obtained and 40 (91%) were anaerobes. Most of these anaerobes were Gram-negative rods and Gram-positive cocci. About 75-100% of the anaerobes were susceptible to commonly available antibiotics. Strikingly, sulphonamides demonstrated the weakest in-vitro activity against all isolates. The study revealed again the polymicrobial nature of orofacial infections as well as the predominance of anaerobes in the aetiology of these infections. Erythromycin and penicillin should be considered as frontline drugs in the treatment of mild orofacial infections while drugs like ciprofloxacin and clindamycin can be reserved for more severe and resistant infections.
Afr. J. Clin. Exper. Microbiol. 2004; 5 (3): 272-277