Microbial Communities and Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns in Aerobic Bacteria Associated with the Vaginal Microbiota: A Retrospective Study in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

The vaginal microbiota, unlike some other sites such as the intestinal microbiota is a less diversified micro-ecosystem; dominated normally by Lactobacilli which play specific important roles in the wellbeing of the vagina and the female person. Dysbiosis or the loss of Lactobacilli dominance results in ecological shift that leads to a number of conditions such as proliferation of intestinal aerobic bacteria leading to aerobic vaginitis and such other disease conditions. In this retrospective cross sectional descriptive study, laboratory records of microscopy, culture and susceptibility analysis of high vaginal swabs (HVS) and other relevant data were reviewed to synthesize information relating to the microbial community and antimicrobial resistance among aerobic bacteria. Out of 790 specimens examined, microbial growths were observed in 596 (75.4%); dominated by fungi (Candida spp), 485 (68.3%), followed by aerobic bacteria, 223(31.4%) and protozoa (Trichomonas), 2 (0.3%). The bacterial population was dominated by Escherichia coli 98 (44.0%), followed by Enterococcus faecalis 55 (24.7%), Staphylococcus aureus 41 (18.4%), Proteus mirabilis 10(4.5%), Streptococcus agalactiae 9 (4.0%), Klebsiella pnumoniae 5 (2.2%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 10 (4.5%). Gram negative bacteria constitutes 118 (52.9%), while gram positive are 105 (47.1%) The cumulative antimicrobial resistance profile of the 223 bacterial strains tested against 10 antimicrobial agents was 55.5%. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most resistant bacteria by showing resistance against 62% of the test antimicrobial agents, followed by Klebsiella pnumoniae, 58%, Escherichia coli, 54.1%, Staphylocuccus aureus, 51.0%, Proteus mirabilis, 51.0%. Enterocuccus faecalis, 48.4% and Streptococcus agalactiae 38.9%. This study has contributed in ascertaining the prevalence of bacterial and other associated organisms of the vaginal microbiota, and also unraveled the different aerobic bacterial species together with their antimicrobial resistance patterns; which will be found valuable in treatment of associated infections.