Ninevah Journal of Public Health & Nursing
Online ISSN:1234-5678

Evaluation of Efficacy of Empirical Antibiotics Therapy for Burn Patients In Sulaymaniyah Hospital for Burn and Plastic surgery

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Dana Abdilmagid Abdilkarim
Arwin Amir Hadi
Azhi Anwar Abdallah
Sahand Kaiwan Rashid

Branch of Clinical Science, College of Medicine, University Sulaymaniyah

10.64554/njphn.2026.173051.1018
Abstract
Background: Adherence to evidence-based antibiotic prescribing protocols is crucial for optimizing outcomes in burn patients, where infections significantly contribute to morbidity and mortality.

Objective: To provide antimicrobial susceptibility data for common bacterial pathogens in burn wounds to guide empirical antibiotic selection at Sulaymaniyah Hospital for Burn and Plastic Surgery.

Patients and Methods: This retrospective observational study analyzed 132 burn patients with confirmed wound infections at Sulaymaniyah Hospital from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2023. Inclusion criteria were second- or third-degree burns affecting >10% total body surface area (TBSA) with positive wound cultures. Antibiotic susceptibility was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method.

Results: Staphylococcus aureus (34.1%) was the most common isolate, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (28.8%) and Acinetobacter baumannii (17.4%) (Table 2). Colistin showed 100% susceptibility across Gram-negative isolates, while vancomycin was highly effective against S. aureus (91.8%) (Table 3). Common antibiotics like meropenem (53.2% susceptibility), amikacin (33.3%), and ciprofloxacin (30.6%) demonstrated reduced efficacy.

Conclusion: Empirical therapy should prioritize colistin for Gram-negative pathogens and vancomycin for S. aureus, given widespread resistance to conventional agents (30). Strict stewardship is essential to curb multidrug resistance (11).

Keywords

antibiotic resistance
empirical therapy
burn wound infection
Staphylococcus aureus
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
colistin
vancomycin
Crossmark
Subjects
Ninevah Journal of Public Health & Nursing

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 11 August 2026

  • Receive Date 16 June 2026
  • Accept Date 11 August 2026
  • First Publish Date 11 August 2026
  • Publish Date 11 August 2026

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