Study on Bacteriology of Ear Infection among School Children and the Susceptibility of Isolates to Antimicrobials

The study on the bacteriology of ear infection of school children and the susceptibility of isolates to extracts of Chromonaela odorata, Cleome viscosa, Jatropha curcas and Sansevieria trifasciata as well as commercial antibiotics were determined. The study was conducted on 200 school children of age range 2 to 15 years from five selected schools in Nkpa, Bende local government area Abia state, from August 2015 to February 2017. Aural swab samples were taken from pre-screened school children who had not taken antibiotics within the period of the sampling. Standard bacteriological methods were adopted for the isolation of bacteria. Further characterization of isolates was performed using 16 subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid genes sequencing for the identification of isolates. Agar well diffusion of water and ethanolic extracts of the leaves were done to determine their antimicrobial activity. Antibiotic sensitivity test of isolates and their biofilms were determined using the Kirby-bauer disc diffusion and Khalid method respectively. Plasmid analysis of isolates was determined to plasmid genes. The major isolates included Achromobacter xylosoxidans (8.00%), Delftia acidovorans (5.50%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5.50%), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (4.00%) and Comamonas aquatica (1.00%). Among the sample population, 48 positive specimens were obtained, out of which 14.00% were from males while 10.00% from females. Age range of 2-3 years had the highest infection of 16 (8.00%), followed by 4-7 years and 8-11 years with the same rate of 13 (6.50%) infection while 12-15 years had the least infection of 6 (3.00%). Yield of ethanolic extracts was 23.5%, while that of water extracts was 19.0%. Invitro testing revealed no antimicrobial activities of the extracts, except ethanolic C. odorata (250 mg) extract with slight activity (3 mm) and (2 mm) zones of inhibition of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa respectively. Commercial antibiotics showed range of 2 mm to 13mm on the isolates and the range of 2 mm to 7 mm biofilm zone of inhibitions. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was the most susceptible (13 mm) to Levofloxacin (30 µg) and to Ampiclox (20 µg) while Comamonas aquatica was the least susceptible to all the tested antibiotics especially with no zone of inhibition by Amoxicilline (20 µg). Plasmid existed in each of the 5 representative bacteria. Achromobacter xylosoxidans was the most common isolated bacteria from the pupils in this locality and was highly susceptible to levofloxacin, ampiclox and ciprofloxacin. The target specificity of the tested extracts was among the least susceptible antimicrobials. In this era of increasing resistance to antimicrobial agents by bacteria, a periodic surveillance of bacteriological and susceptibility profiles is therefore essential for effective management of bacterial ear infection among school children.

Author(s): Chibuisi Ogbuka

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