Authors: Onwuezobe Ifeanyi Abraham, Unwana Ezekiel Akeruke, Ekuma Emmanuel Agantem.
Background: Carbapenemase enzymes such as metallo-β-lactamase (MβL) belong to Amber class B type of β- lactamase that cause serious clinical infections mostly feared due to the associated antibiotic resistance mechanisms resulting from their ability to hydrolyse virtually all β-lactam agents, including the carbapenems.
Aim: To investigate the occurrence as well as determine the associated risk factors of metallo- β -lactamase producing bacterial agents of infection among in Uyo, Southern Nigeria.
Methods: A clean-catch, mid-stream urine and wound samples were collected from consented patients and cultured according to standard procedure. The isolated pathogens were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing using the Kirby Bauer method. All Imipenem and Ertapenem resistant isolates were used for of MβL detection, using Total Metallo-β-Lactamase confirmation Kit.
Results: Of the 157 Gram-negative bacteria isolates from 312 clinical samples of urine and wound, metallobeta-lactamase (MβL) was detected in 12 (7.6%). The highest MβL producing Gram-negative bacteria isolate from urine was Escherichia coli. However, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the major producer from wound the samples. Overall, the antibiotic sensitivity profile revealed that the isolates were mostly sensitive to imipenem 123(91.0%) and highly resistant to the commonly used antibiotics in the study area. The associated risk factors of note were the participants residence, antibiotic use and duration of wound infection and they were found to be statistically significant (P = <0.05).
Conclusion: The prevalence of metallo-ß-lactamase producing bacterial agents in Uyo, Nigeria was found to be 7.6%. In addition, while E. coli and P. aeruginosa were the major MβL producers, the participant’s place of residence, antibiotics use and wound duration were found to be associated with their occurrence.
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