Frequency and antimicrobial resistance of bacteria isolated from oral and topical medicaments from Hilla, Iraq

Authors

  • Alaa Hani Al-Charrakh College of medicine/Babylon Univ./Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.1817

Keywords:

antibiotic resistance, bacteria, contamination, medicaments, Pseudomonas

Abstract

Introduction: The presence of microorganisms in pharmaceuticals is undesirable because they may cause spoilage of the product and may present an infection hazard to the consumers or patients. 

Methodology: A total of 102 samples of oral and topical non-sterile pharmaceutical products were collected at random from different drug houses and pharmacies in Iraq, to investigate the microbial contamination of these products. Bacterial isolates recovered from these medicaments were subjected to susceptibility testing against various antibiotics by disk diffusion method according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards (CLSI) guidelines.

Results: The results revealed that the occurrence of Gram-positive bacteria was in oral and topical medicaments while Gram-negative bacteria were only detected in topical medicaments. More than 58% of Bacillus isolates were resistant to lincomycin and Bacillus mycoides isolates were resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Staphylococcus spp. showed a relatively high resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin, penicillin, tetracycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. S. epidermidis had the highest number of multi-resistant isolates. Furthermore, 87.5% of isolated Gram-negative rods showed high resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and 75% of them were highly resistant to erythromycin. One isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most resistant among all Gram-negative rod isolates.

Conclusion: The high rate of resistance to antimicrobial agents of bacterial isolates recovered from oral and topical medicaments in this study may indicate a widespread antibiotic resistance among bacteria isolated from different sources, including those of anthropological and environmental origin. 

Author Biography

Alaa Hani Al-Charrakh, College of medicine/Babylon Univ./Iraq

Professor of Medical Microbiology

Dept. of Microbiology/College of medicine

Babylon Univ./Hilla

Iraq

 

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Published

2012-03-26

How to Cite

1.
Al-Charrakh AH (2012) Frequency and antimicrobial resistance of bacteria isolated from oral and topical medicaments from Hilla, Iraq. J Infect Dev Ctries 6:489–494. doi: 10.3855/jidc.1817

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Section

Original Articles