title: Surgical bacterial infections and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns at Lilongwe Central Hospital.
abstract: A cross sectional study was done between October 1999 and February 2000 to determine antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of consecutive bacterial isolates of 102 clinical samples among surgical in-patients at Lilongwe Central Hospital (LCH), Malawi. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using comparative disc diffusion techniques. 83 (81.4%) samples were culture positive for bacterial growth while 19 (18.6%) grew nothing. Of the 93 culture positive specimens, Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant organism 43(51.8%) followed by Proteus species 8(9.6%) and E. coli 7(8.4%). Overall, 98.6% of all isolates tested against ciprofloxacin were susceptible, and against gentamicin and flucloxacin were 84.8% and 66.7% respectively. 59.3% of isolates tested against chloramphenicol were resistant. We recommend a review on the use of chloramphenicol as first-line antimicrobial therapy among surgical in-patients at Lilongwe Central Hospital. We also recommend restricted use of antimicrobials so as to minimise development of drug resistance. Periodic susceptibility studies are necessary to guide judicious use of antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Lilongwe Central Hospital (LCH), PO Box 149, Lilongwe, Malawi.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Banda
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Lilongwe Central Hospital (LCH), PO Box 149, Lilongwe, Malawi; Department of Community Health, University of Malawi College of Medicine, Private Bag 360, Chichin, Blantyre 3, Malawi.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Muula
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Lilongwe Central Hospital (LCH), PO Box 149, Lilongwe, Malawi.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Gwaza
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Lilongwe Central Hospital (LCH), PO Box 149, Lilongwe, Malawi.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Namarika
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Lilongwe Central Hospital (LCH), PO Box 149, Lilongwe, Malawi.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Ng'oma
authors.affiliation: Community Health Sciences Unit (CHSU), Private Bag 65, Lilongwe Malawi.
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Chintolo
authors.affiliation: Community Health Sciences Unit (CHSU), Private Bag 65, Lilongwe Malawi.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamakazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, University of Malawi College of Medicine, Private Bag 360, Chichin, Blantyre 3, Malawi.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Muyco