The role of aerobic bacteria in acute osteomyelitis

Abstract EN

This study included the isolation and identification of microorganisms causing chronic osteomyelitis to determine the most common bacteria cause of osteomyelitis in different age groups and sexes in Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital and Red Crescent Surgical Hospital in Baghdad for the period from October 2003 to July 2004.

The total studied specimens was 387, they were taken as 343 swabs (88.63 %) from wound and 45 aspirate (11.3 %) from both hematogenous and exogenous infections.

Patients were grouped according to age, sex and type of infection, which were divided into exogenous 309 (89.84 %), and hematogenous 78 (20.63 %) osteomyelitis.

Exogenous group included 309 patients and was divided into acute osteomyelitis 237 (76.74 %), and chronic osteomyelitis 72 (23.3 %).

Patients were suffering from postoperative wound infection, infected compound fracture, bullet injury and blast injury and one case diabetes mellitus.

The most common age group was found to be 21-30 years.

Hematogenous group included 78 (20.3 %) patients with chronic type only, it was common in young men especially in age group 21-30 years representing a statistically significant difference between infection in children and other age groups.

The present study revealed that male / female ratio was found to be 311 (80.36 %) / 76(19.64 %).

Statistical analysis showed a significant difference in the rate of osteomyelitis in relation to sex.

The most common site of infection was found to be femur 147 (37.31 %), 257 pathological specimens were obtained in the study.

Gram negative bacteria were the most commonly detected (84.1 %) mainly Pseudomonas aeruginosa 87 (31.07 %), Klebsiella pneumoniae 54 (19.29 %), Proteus mirabilis 33 (11.79 %), E.

coli 29 (10.36 %), Citrobacter spp 7 (2.5 %), Enterobacter cloacae 5 (1.79 %), Serratia marcescens 2 (0.72 %), Citrobacter braaki 3 (1.07 %), Serratia fracaris 2 (0.72 %), and 1 (0.32 %) for all of Chysomonas luteola, Pasturella pneumontropica, Providenciae stuartii, Rahnella aquatilis, and Enterobacter baunmanii.

Gram positive bacteria representing 15.9 % mainly Staph.

aureus 25 (8.93 %), then coagulase negative Staphylococcus (Staph.

epidermidis) 11 (3.93 %), 1 (0.37 %) for all of Staph.

capitis, Staph.

homonis, Staph.

xylosis and Streptococcus pyogenes 2 (0.72 %).