Assessment of Biofilm Formation by Clinical Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from Burnt Patients at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital

Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in burn patients are complicated by the organism's capacity for robust biofilm formation on wound surfaces and medical devices, conferring significant antibiotic tolerance and increasing mortality risk. This study assesses biofilm formation by clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from burn wound patients at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, Bauchi State, North East Nigeria. Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were recovered from wound swabs of 55 burn patients treated in the burns unit over five months. Standard isolation and biochemical identification were performed, followed by antibiotic susceptibility testing using disk diffusion. Biofilm formation was quantified using the tissue culture plate method with crystal violet staining and optical density measurement at 570 nm. Sixty-two percent of isolates were classified as strong biofilm formers, 24 percent as moderate, and 14 percent as weak or non-biofilm producers. Strong biofilm-forming isolates demonstrated significantly higher antibiotic resistance rates, particularly to ciprofloxacin and piperacillin-tazobactam, compared to weak formers. Multidrug resistance was present in 71 percent of strong biofilm producers. The study highlights biofilm formation as a compounding resistance mechanism in burn patients at ATBUTH, with implications for wound debridement and topical antimicrobial management. Recommendations include biofilm assessment as a routine clinical microbiology service in the burns unit. Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, biofilm, burn wound, antibiotic resistance, ATBUTH Bauchi