EVALUATION OF HOSPITAL ACQUIRED PSEUDOMONAS INFECTION IN PARAPLEGIC AND ORTHOPAEDIC CASES.

One hundred isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from patients of the spinal cord injury and orthopaedic centre were evaluated on the basis of 2 laboratory assays; antibiotic sensitivity and pyocin typing. Antibiotic drug resistance was found in 54 per cent of the isolates. The urinary tract, pressure sores and wound swabs were the most common clinical specimens. Spinal cord injury patients showed a high rate of nosocomial colonisation. Ceftazidime, amikacin, norflox and ciprofloxacin were the most active antimicrobial agents. Gentamicin, carbenicillin and tobramycin showed high resistance. Pyocin typing with 22 strains did yield information to establish a clinico - epidemiological relationship.