COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE ANTIMICROBIAL STRENGTH OF COMMONLY USED ANTIBIOTICS AGAINST SELECTED BACTERIAL ISOLATES

Antibiotics are the drugs that either halt bacterial growth (bacteristatic) or kill the bacteria entirely. The research project aimed at comparing the antibacterial strength of commonly used antibiotics on some pathogenic microorganisms was carried out using standard analytical and microbiological technique. Morphological and biochemical characteristics of the isolates revealed Staphylococcus sp., Bacillus sp., Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas sp., and Proteus with percentage occurrence of 19.4%, 16.4%, 28.4%, 22.4% and 13.4% respectively. Susceptibility/Sensitivity test was used to determine the antimicrobial activity of an antibacterial against an organism. The antimicrobial strengths of commonly used antibiotics (Ciprofloxacin, ampicillin, amoxicillin, and ampiclox) was determined at different concentrations (500mg, 250mg, 125mg, 62.5mg, 31.25mg and 15.625mg) on pathogenic organisms. The result showed that Ciprofloxacin had the highest antimicrobial effect on all isolated organisms with minimum inhibitory concentration of 62.5mg/ml. Ampiclox and Ampicillin was also highly effective on all isolated organisms with minimum inhibitory concentration of 125mg/ml. Amoxicillin with minimum inhibitory concentration of 125mg/ml was effective on Staphylococcus sp, Bacillus sp, Klebsiella sp, and Proteus and was effective against Pseudomonas sp with minimum inhibitory concentration of 250mg/ml. From the research, it can be recommended that whenever people are diagnosed of pathogenic bacterial infections as a result of Staphylococcus sp, Bacillus sp, Klebsiella sp, Pseudomonas sp, and Proteus, the medical personnels are advised to prescribe Ciprofloxacin as it has the highest antimicrobial effect at minimum inhibitory concentration of 62.5mg/ml on the organisms than the other antibiotics it was compared with.