A review of bacteriology spectrum and antibiotic sensitivity of hand sepsis in patients treated at CHBAH

Abstract

Hand infection is the most common condition seen at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital Orthopaedic casualty. In 2017, 31% of orthopaedic admissions at our institution were patients with hand sepsis. Failure to adequately treat these infections results in severe loss of hand function and disability, and this leads to a significant socioeconomic impact in our population. The infected patients are usually started on empiric antibiotics (amoxicillinclavunate (Augmentin)) on admission, and prior to surgical drainage. The purpose of this study was to identify the microbiology profile of hand infections and their antibiotic sensitivity at our institution. The laboratory results of antimicrobial sensitivity were compared with the antibiotics started empirically. The impact of associated co-morbidities on the microbiology profile was also assessed. The results showed that Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is the most common cultured organism. Most organisms were sensitive to cloxacillin. The culture results in HIV infected patients did not differ to those in the uninfected population. Acquired Methicillin-Resistant S. Aureus remains low in our population setting.