Original Research Article
Year: 2020 | Month: December | Volume: 7 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 112-120
Evaluation of Honey as a Topical Agent for Acute and Chronic Wound Infection
Nkechi V. Enwuru1, Chijioke E. Ezeobiora1, Charles C. Ezeaku2, Calistar O. Ibedionu1
1Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos
2Department of Pathology, National Orthopedic Hospital, Lagos
Corresponding Author: Ezeobiora Chijioke Emmanuel
ABSTRACT
Background: Globally, health care providers are challenged by the rising rate of resistance of bacterial pathogens to antibiotics in wound infection. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the causative bacteria in infected wounds and the antibacterial activity of local honey on these bacterial strains.
Methods: Samples of infected wound swabs were collected from 100 patients. The samples were inoculated on appropriate media and incubated at 37oC for 24hrs. After incubation, bacterial colonies were identified by Gram stain and biochemical tests. The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion and agar well diffusion methods were used for antibiotic testing and antibacterial activity of honey at concentrations of 100%, 50%, 25% and 12.5% respectively.
Results: The prevalence of bacterial wound infection was 89%. Among these 89%, 65% were Gram negative bacteria with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (22.5%) being the most prevalent and 24% were Gram positive. All isolates were resistant to ampicillin, augmentin, cefuroxime and ceftazidime. Multiple drug resistance was recorded among all bacterial isolates tested. The antibacterial effect of honey on wound isolated pathogens was shown to be higher with average resistance of 31.2% than that of antibiotics (79%) used in this study.
Conclusion: This study confirms that honey possesses excellent antibacterial activity and may serve as a good alternative to curtail the further spreading of multidrug resistant (MDR) and pro-drug resistant (PDR) isolates in management of infected wounds.
Keywords: Wound infections, Bacteria, Antibiotic resistance, Honey.
[PDF Full Text]