Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Family Pseudomonadaceae) is an obligate aerobic, motile, gram negative bacillus.which is able to grow and survive in almost any environment and resistant to temperature extremes. It is involved in the etiology of several diseases i

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Family Pseudomonadaceae) is an obligate aerobic, motile, gram negative bacillus.which is able to grow and survive in almost any environment and resistant to temperature extremes. It is involved in the etiology of several diseases including ocular, burn and wound infections. The study seeks to determine the involvement of Pseudumonas aeruginosa in the etiology of wound infections in University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin city. The study which was prospective and cross-sectional involved 2172 individuals who were patients seen at the various facilities in University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Males numbered 1570 (72.29%), females were 530 (24.40%) while children were 72 (3.31%). 2172 specimens consisting of swabs from wound, pus and secretions were submitted for bacteriological analysis during the period January 2009 to September 2009. There was no particular selection order except that they were consecutively obtained. Specimens were collected for culture and sensitivity before initiating antibiotic therapy. Cultures were put up immediately using standard microbiological methods. Any growth was identified by colonial morphology and characteristics and biochemical reactions. Antimicrobial sensitivity test was performed according to Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method as per NCCLS recommendation. The control organism was a sensitive strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa (NCTC10662). 2067 (95.2%) out of 2172 specimens yielded growth of various organisms out of which 249 (11.5%) yielded growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 105 (4.8%) yielded no growth. The organism was strongly susceptible to ceftazidime and ofloxacin was 53.4% sensitive to gentamycin. However it was poorly susceptible to cefuroxime, cloxacillin, lincomycin, cefotaxime, ceftriazone and amoxicillin clavulanate. The study clearly showed Pseudomonas aeruginosa as an important human pathogen and advanced suggestions as control measures. Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Wound infections; antibiotic susceptibility