The possible microbial aethiology of pyoderma among primary school children in the Ashanti region of Ghana
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Date
1997-06-13
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Abstract
The possible aetiologic agents of pyoderma were studied among 310 primary school children (aged 5-14 years) drawn from two study areas, rural (Ejisu-Juaben District) and urban (Kumasi district) settings in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
A total of 634 bacterial species was recovered. 3-haemolytic Streptococci gave the highest recovery rate of 45%. Of this, 214 or 74% were identified as Streptococcus pyogenes with the remaining, 25% (or 71) representing Lancefield groups B, C, D and
G. This was closely followed up by Staphylococcus aureus 32.6% (207), Staphylococcus epidermidis 10.3% (65), Pseudomonas species 10.3% (65), Proteus mirabilis 2.2% (7) and Escherichia coli 0.3% (2).
The isolation of the Pseudomonads particularly, aeruginosa from typical pyoderma lesions was quite thought-provoking due to its innate resistance to most antimicrobial agents. Penicillin G (2mg) was effective only against the isolated species of Streptococci but ineffective against the remaining bacterial species isolated. Gentamycin (10mg), on the other hand, was the only antimicrobial agent with a 100% activity on all isolates including P. aeruginosa. The rest of the antibiotics tested on the bacterial isolates were susceptible to varying degrees.
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A thesis submitted to the Board of Postgraduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the Degree of Master of Philosophy in Clinical Microbiology, 1997