Bacteriology of Wound Infections in Nigeria and its Effect on Antimicrobials Selection during Management

Abstract

A wound is a rupture in the skin exposing the underlying subcutaneous tissue. It creates a moist, warm, and nutritive environment conducive to microbial colonization and proliferation.Depending on the time it takes for the wound to heal, it can be categorized as either acute or chronic. Infection in a wound elongates the healing period and results in longer hospital stays and higher treatment costs. Most open wound infections are polymicrobial containing both aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms, which should be considered when choosing antimicrobials. Controlling wound infections has become more difficult as the prevalence of antibiotic resistance has increased. This problem is exacerbated in Nigeria by a lack of epidemiological data on the microbial agents that cause wound infections. Thus, it is necessary to understand the microbes prevalent in infected wounds to encourage proper antimicrobial selection for the offending microbe and enhance better treatment and management outcomes.The bacteriology of wound infections, susceptibilities to routinely prescribed antibiotics, and the effects of the presence of these bacterial species in wound management are all discussed in this review.