Abstract:
A total of 120 ear swab samples were examined from patients of different age
groups attending Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, with ear infection. The swab samples were
cultured on Chocolate agar, Blood agar and MacConkey agar media. Identification of the
isolated bacteria was carried out using standard biochemical tests. The results show an
overall infection rate of76.68% (92 out of l20).And the age group mostly affected is the
0-5 years with infection rate of 54.17%. The results of the identification showed the
following bacteria in decreasing order of prevalence as Staphylococcus aureus 30
(30.61 %), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 17 (17.35%), Proteus mirabilis 16 (16.33%),
Citrobacter freundii 14 (14.29%), Escherichia coli 6 (6.12%), Serratia mercescens 6
(6.12%), Staphylococcus albus 5(5.10%) and Enterobacter species 4(4.08%). Antibiotic
Sensitivity test was carried out. The results indicated that Ciprofloxacin (10Ilg), Tarivid
(IOug) and Levofloxacin (Sug) are the best antibiotics with mean zones of inhibitions of
1O.70mm, 12.25mm and 12.25mm respectively, whereas Ampicillin (25Ilg)(4.00mm)
Cotrimoxazole (25Ilg) (O.OOmm) and Tetracycline (Iuug) (1.63mm) did not show
promising result.
