[01] Umezulora Blessing Ijeoma, Department of Applied Microbiology and Brewing, Faculty of Biosciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria. [02] Orji Michael Uchenna, Department of Applied Microbiology and Brewing, Faculty of Biosciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria. [03] Okafor Ugochukwu Chukwuma, Department of Applied Microbiology and Brewing, Faculty of Biosciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria. [04] Adinchezor Chukwuma Charles, Department of Applied Microbiology and Brewing, Faculty of Biosciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.

The present study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing bacteria isolated from in-patients and out-patients that attended Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Awka for treatment. A total of eight hundred and forty (840) clinical specimens comprising; urine (50%), uro-genital specimens (high vaginal swab (25.4%), semen (8.0%) and urethral swab (1.9%)), sputum (7.0%), wound swab (5.6%), pus (1.3%) and ear swab (0.8%), were collected from patients who attended this hospital between January to November, 2016. The antimicrobial resistance profile of the isolates was performed using standard disk diffusion technique. Phenotypic detection of ESBL-producing bacterial species was performed using Double Disk Synergy test (DDST) method. The prevalence of ESBL-producing bacteria with regards to demographic factors was evaluated. Statistical evaluation of the results was carried out using SPSS Statistical Software Package version 21.0. Results were expressed as means, frequencies and percentages. Chi-square was used to determine the level of significance of groups of categorical variables with P values<0.05 considered significant. The bacteria species isolated were; Gram-negative bacteria: Escherichia coli (22.0%), Klebsiella species (6.3%), Proteus spp. (3.7%), Citrobacter spp. (1.8%), Pseudomonas spp. (1.5%), Enterobacter spp. (1.1%), Providencia rettgeri (0.1%) and Shigella flexneri (0.1%); Gram-positive bacteria: Staphylococcus spp. (17.1%), Streptococcus spp. (6.3%) and Enterococcus species (4.3%). Antimicrobial resistance profiles of the isolated bacterial species showed lowest resistance to Meropenem (MEM) and highest resistance to ceftriaxone (CTR). A low prevalence (8.3%) of ESBL-producing Gram-negative bacteria with a tendency for multi-drugs resistance and a higher prevalence in the in-patients were observed. The differences observed among the subjects were statistically significant at p<0.05 level. No Gram positive bacteria produced ESBL. The differences observed in the relationship between ESBL producing bacteria with respect to age, sex and type of specimen were not statistically significant at p<0.05 level. Meropenem was the most active antibacterial agent and can be suggested as the drug of choice from this study.

Antibiotic Resistance, Beta-lactam Antibiotics, Prevalence, Bacteria, Awka

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