Epidemiology of burn wound bacterial infections at a Meknes hospital, Morocco
Najia El Hamzaoui, Abouddihaj Barguigua, S. Larouz, M. Maouloua
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the prevalence of burn wound infection in the ward of Burns and Plastic Surgery at Mohammed V Hospital, Meknes, Morocco, and to determine the pathogenic bacterial species responsible for this infection as well as the susceptibility of these isolates to various antibiotics. Over the 1-year study period, 126 patients were admitted. The main sources of burns were flames (52.38%) and hot water (28.57%); 71% had burns with 11% to 40% burn surface and 48.41% had burns between 11% and 20% total burn surface. The mean ± SD duration of hospitalization was 22.15 ± 13.84 days after injury. Eighty-six patients were found to have at least one positive culture requiring treatment and were thus included in this study. The predominant bacteria isolated were Staphylococcus aureus (33.85%), followed by Pseudomonas spp. (18.46%), Acinetobacter baumannii (15.38%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (13.85%), Escherichia coli (8.46%) and Proteus mirabilis (4.42%). Disc-diffusion susceptibility testing indicated a high prevalence of resistance to various antimicrobial agents. Among the Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacteriaceae strains isolated, 86.36% were methicillin resistant and 48.64% were extended-spectrum β-lactamase producers respectively.