A survey of bacterial infections in the surgical intensive care unit
Kwa, B.H.
Singapore Medical Journal 19(1): 43-47
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0037-5675 PMID: 96533 Document Number: 127555
During Jan. 1977-June 1977, 56 patients were admitted to the surgical intensive care unit. The bacterial cultures of these 56 patients obtained from bronchial secretions, abdominal swabs and wound swabs were studied. Usually more than 1 culture was obtained from each source. Of 124 cultures obtained from bronchial secretions, 55.6% grew Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 46.7% grew Klebsiella pneumoniae. Of the Pseudomonas cultured, 95.6% were sensitive to gentamicin and polymyxin B and 71% were sensitive to carbenicillin. In vitro sensitivity tests showed 89.6% of the Klebsiella were sensitive to gentamicin, 74.1% were sensitive to kanamycin and 70.6% sensitive to cephaloridine. Fourteen cultures were obtained from peritoneal swabs taken at the time of laparotomy; 57.1% grew Klebsiella and 42.9% grew Escherichia coli. Of the Klebsiella cultured, 75% were sensitive to gentamycin, cephaloridine and kanamycin; only 50% were sensitive to ampicillin. Swabs taken from infected wounds grew a large variety of organisms. The main organisms were Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, E. coli and Staphyloccoccus pyogenes. Wound isolates of Pseudomonas were all sensitive to polymyxin B; 86.7% were sensitive to gentamycin. Only 23% of wound isolates of E. coli were sensitive to ampicillin. Of wound isolates of S. pyogenes, 70% were sensitive to rifampicin.