Relationship between Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacterial Isolates and Biofilm Formation in Burn Patients

Abstract

Background: Biofilms are a serious problem and responsible for death from burns, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria threaten global public health due to high rates of pathogen infection. Objectives: To investigate the correlation between the formation of biofilms and the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial isolates in burn patients. Methods: 100 samples of swabs were collected from burn patients from January 2023 to June 2023. The grown colonies were identified based on traditional methods and the Vitec system, and multidrug resistance was determined when the isolates were resistant in three categories. A quantitative microtiter method was used to determine the formation of biofilms using ELISA. Results: From 100 burn samples, 83 bacterial isolates were obtained: Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter baumannii. Infection rates were highest for P. aeruginosa (67.5%), followed by S. aureus (16.9%). The results showed high resistance in the bacterial isolates, which showed 100% resistance to imipenem in P. aeruginosa. 100% of the E. coli and K. pneumoniae were MDR, followed by 83.92% for P. aeruginosa, 75% for A. baumannii, and 71% for S. aureus. All the isolates produced biofilm in varying proportions, with 80.35% in P. aeruginosa, followed by 100% moderate biofilm in E. coli, 100% weak biofilm in A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae, and moderate and weak biofilm in S. aureus. Conclusion: P. aeruginosa is the primary cause of burn contamination in hospitals, and all the isolates produced biofilm and exhibited high multi-drug resistance.