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. 2011:4:215-20.
doi: 10.2147/IDR.S21769. Epub 2011 Dec 21.

Resistance to antimicrobial drugs in Ghana

Mercy J Newman  1 , Enoch Frimpong, Eric S Donkor, Japheth A Opintan, Alex Asamoah-Adu
Affiliations

Resistance to antimicrobial drugs in Ghana

Mercy J Newman et al. Infect Drug Resist. 2011.

Abstract

Background: Antimicrobial drug resistance is a global issue that affects health, economic, and social development. The problem has been attributed to misuse of antimicrobial agents.

Purpose: To identify the agents of bacterial infection in Ghana, determine their antibiogram, and the possibility of setting up a surveillance program.

Patients and methods: A prospective quantitative study set in various hospitals including two teaching hospitals, seven regional hospitals, and two district hospitals in Ghana. A total of 5099 bacterial isolates from various clinical specimens were collected over a period of 1 year, including data related to the patients. Susceptibility of the isolates was determined by the Kirby-Bauer method. In addition, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of multidrug-resistant isolates of epidemiological significance was also determined using the E-test.

Results: A wide range of bacterial isolates were identified in both teaching and regional hospitals. High percentage of resistance was observed for tetracycline (82%), cotrimoxazole (73%), ampicillin (76%), and chloramphenicol (75%). Multidrug resistance was observed to a combination of ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and cotrimoxazole. On the other hand, a lower percentage of resistance was observed for ceftriaxone (6.3%), ciprofloxacin (11%), and amikacin (9.9%).

Conclusion: Generally, the prevalence of multidrug resistance was widespread among the various isolates. Some multidrug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, and non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) had high MIC to cefuroxime (>256), gentamicin (>256), and ciprofloxacin (>32).

Keywords: MIC; antimicrobial agents; multidrug resistance.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Prevalence of resistance among antimicrobial drugs from teaching, regional, and district hospitals in Ghana (n = 5099).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Prevalence of resistance among antimicrobial drugs in teaching (n = 4527) and regional hospitals (n = 763) in Ghana.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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