Prevalence of microbial agents associated with chronic nonhealing ulcers: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Chronic nonhealing ulcers (NHUs) are responsible for considerable morbidity worldwide. Polymicrobial flora has been associated with most of the chronic ulcers. Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacteriaceae, Anaerobes, Mycobacteria, and Fungi have been shown to infect chronic NHUs. Objectives: The objective of the study was to evaluate the microbial agents associated with chronic NHUs. Materials and Methods: The study was a cross-sectional observational study conducted over 2 years. Basing on the inclusion criteria sample were collected from 168 patients. The standard protocol for the identification of microorganisms was followed. Results: Of the 168 cases examined 128 (76.2%) were male and 40 (23.8%) were female. Most of the cases were 41–60 years old. One hundred and thirty-two microbial isolates were obtained from 77 patients. In 32 patients' infections were monomicrobial and in the rest 45 infections were polymicrobial. A total of 112 out of 132 isolates obtained in the study were bacteria (both aerobic and anaerobic). Mycobacterial isolates were 11 and fungal isolates were 9 in number. Conclusion: The prevalence of microbial infections associated with a chronic NHU in this study population was 45.8%. The most common group of microbial agents were aerobic bacteria, S. aureus being the most common agent.