Bacterial agents and sensitivity pattern of neonatal conjuctivitis in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital

Introduction: In Africa alone, between 1000 – 4000 children are blinded annually by conjunctivitis. In view of the changing aetiological agents documented in other parts of the world and evolving resistance of infective agents to therapeutic agents, the present study was designed to define the bacterial agents, their antibiotic sensitivity pattern seen in AKTH, Kano, Nigeria. Patients and methods: This was a cross sectional prospective study done over a period of 3 months. Consecutive neonates who satisfied the inclusion criteria were recruited until the sample size of 175 was obtained. samples were transported to the laboratory within one hour. Gram staining and antibiotic sensitivity were determined using standard technique. Results: The mean age at presentation was 5.7 ± 4.6days. Results of the eye swabs showed that 97 (55.4%) were bacteriologically positive while 78 (44.6%) yielded no growth. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated organism and was most sensitive to ceftriaxone, (73.1%). Escherichia coli was most sensitive to gentamicin (78.3%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Neisseria gonorrhea showed 100% sensitivity to ceftazidime and ceftriaxone respectively. Conclusion: Staphylococcus aureus is the commonest bacterial agent responsible for neonatal conjunctivitis. Staphylococcus aureus was most sensitive to ceftriaxone.