Author(s)

Iheanacho Nwadioha^1*, Michael Simidele Odimayo², John Omotayo³, Adebola Olu Taiwo⁴, Enoch Olabiyi²

¹Medical Microbiology and Parasitology Department, College of Health Sciences, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria.
²Medical Microbiology and Parasitology Department, College of Medicine, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria.
³Histopathology Department, College of Medicine, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria.
⁴Haematology and Blood Transfusion Department, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria.

The current study was conducted to determine the epidemiology and antibiotic sensitivity pattern of bacteria isolated from blood of septicemic patients for improved antibiotic therapy. A three-year descriptive study was done at Microbiology Laboratory, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, from April 2012 to April 2015. Information compiled from patients’ records includes age, sex, isolated organisms and antibiotic susceptibility patterns. Three hundred and thirteen blood cultures were collected from neonatology and pediatrics wards, Out Patients’ Department (OPD) and from other adult patients. Forty one culture plates yielded mono microbial growth (no polymicrobial growth), giving an incidence of 13.1% positive blood culture (N = 41/313). There were 58.4% Gram negative bacilli and 41.6% Gram positive cocci in the microbial growth. Bacteria isolated were Staphylococcus aureus 34% (14/41), Klebsiella species 22% (9/41), Enterococci 17% (7/41), Proteus species 12% (5/41), Escherichia coli 7% (3/41) and Streptococcal pneumoniae 7% (3/41). There was a (35%) higher occurrence of septicemia in neonates than in any other age groups in the hospital. Bacterial sensitivity to 13 antibiotic agents was determined by antibiotics disc diffusion using modified Kirby Bauer’s method. Gram-positive organisms showed a higher antibiotic sensitivity ranging from 14% - 100% than the Gram-negative bacteria (11% - 80%). Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella species are the most prevalent organisms. The third generation Cephalosporins (Ceftriaxone) and Floroquinolone (Levofloxacin, Ofloxacin) have proved reliable for management of these blood infections.

Blood Cultures, Septicemia, Antibiogram, Nigeria

Nwadioha, I. , Odimayo, M.S. , Omotayo, J. , Olu Taiwo, A. and Olabiyi, E. (2015) A Retrospective Cross Sectional Study of Blood Culture Results in a Tertiary Hospital, Ekiti, Nigeria. Open Journal of Medical Microbiology, 5, 202-208. doi: 10.4236/ojmm.2015.54025.