Isolation and Identification of Bacteria from Wound Sepsis among Patients at Obigwe Orthopedic Clinic, Amorji Ubaha, Okigwe

Infection in wound delays healing and may cause wound breakdown, herniation, and complete wound dehiscence. This study investigated the isolation and identification of bacteria associated with wound sepsis. A total number of ten (10) swab samples were collected at random from the wound surface of patients with infected wounds. The swabs with the samples were analyzed using standard microbiological procedures. Bacterial isolates were characterized using their colonial, microscopic, and biochemical properties. Identification was with reference to Bergey's Manual. It was observed that Escherichia coli is the most frequently occurring isolates with a percentage occurrence of (25%) followed by Staphylococcus aureus with a percentage of (20%), then Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20%), Klebsiella pneumonia (20%), and Streptococcus pyogenes (15%). The overall distribution of bacterial isolates from the wound samples indicated that the wound samples from the male patients have a higher percentage distribution of (80%) than the samples obtained from the female patients with (20%). This study revealed that various bacteria, including opportunistic bacteria, are found in different wounds. Some of the wounds were infected with more than one bacteria species at a time. Although complete eradication of wound infections is not possible, however, by adopting prompt, clean surgical procedures, proper care of wounds, and antibiotics, the incidence of wound infection may be limited to a minimum.