Conventional and Molecular Diagnostic Tests for the Detection of Bacterial Pathogen in Burn Wound and Antimicrobial Properties of Some Medicinal Plants

This research aims to compare bacterial pathogens in different categories of burn wounds and evaluate the specificity and sensitivity of conventional and molecular diagnostics techniques in the detection of bacterial pathogens in burn wounds. This research project also tends to evaluate the potential antimicrobial activity of natural product by using Vachellia nilotica and Prosopis africana plant extracts. Burn wounds synovial fluid was collected from 50 patients each from three categories of burn wound over a period of 14 months. Samples were subjected to conventional and molecular diagnosis for the screening of the bacterial pathogens. Antibacterial properties of the plants extracts were tested using disc diffusion technique. Of the 50 samples, P. aeruginosa were isolated from 7 (14%), 12 (24%) and 17 (34%) samples of first, second and third degree of burn wounds respectively and were considered both positive for P. aeruginosa infection. However, Staphylococcus aureus was isolated only in the third degree from 4 out of 50 samples and was considered to be negative from first and second degree. Coliform (except E. coli) were absent from first degree but present in both second and third degrees (4 and 6) respectively. Gram stain can be considered as a rapid test but solely depend on the microbiological culture test, likewise majority of the biochemical test such as oxidase and API 20E tests. It was discovered that there is highest sensitivity of PCR over culture and or biochemical tests in the detection of P. aeruginosa from burn wound patients while some found no difference or even lower sensitivity in PCR assay. The result shows relatively antibacterial properties of both plant extracts against P. aeruginosa. It is concluded that P. aeruginosa is the most prevailing bacterial pathogen in burn wound and these plants extracts are active against the pathogen. Finally, a research to isolate and test individual chemical compounds responsible for the antibacterial properties from these plants is highly recommended.