American Journal of Microbiological Research, 2019, Vol. 7, No. 2, 45-50 Available online at http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajmr/7/2/2 Published by Science and Education Publishing DOI:10.12691/ajmr-7-2-2 Antibiotic Drug Resistance in HIV Seropositive Pregnant Women Kwashie Ajibade Ako-Nai * , Omo-Omorodion B. I. Department of Microbiology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria *Corresponding author: kwasajibad@gamil.com Received January 24, 2019; Revised March 10, 2019; Accepted March 24, 2019 Abstract Background: Vaginal infections are often associated with a significant risk of morbidity especially in pregnant women. These infections if left untreated often result in a long-term sequelae and poses a higher adverse pregnancy outcome especially in immunocompromised women. While HIV infection has been reported to be a high risk of pathogenic bacterial colonization, the misuse of antibiotics is high among women in developing countries. Methodology and results: A high vaginal swab was collected from the posterior fornix from each pregnant women by the attending physician using sterile bivalve speculum and a cotton- tipped applicator. Each sample was cultured and identified using standard bacterlogical methods. Selected pathogens were thereafter tested for their sensitivity to 23 commonly prescribed antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer method. Altogether, 1,156 bacterial isolates were cultured from high vaginal swabs of both 114 HIV seropositive and 126 HIV seronegative pregnant women, averaging 4.81 bacterial per subject each for both cohorts. S. aureus was seen as the single predominant isolate recovered from both groups. In addition, of the 22 S. aureus recovered from HIV infected women, 10 isolates were Methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and 12 Methicillin sensitive S aureus (MSSA), while, of the 25 S. aureus recovered from HIV seronegative women, 13 isolates were Methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and 12 Methicillin sensitive S aureus (MSSA). Other gram negative pathogens associated with lower genital infections were also studied. Conclusion: The incidence of multiple antibiotic resistance was high among isolates recovered from both cohorts, which is probably due to uncontrollable ease of access to these antibiotics in the environment where antibiotics restriction/policy is lacking. There is an urgent need for continuous monitoring, health education, drug abuse awareness and implementation of interventions to restrict antibiotic abuse especially among immunocompromised individuals in the study environment. Keywords: bacterial isolates, antibiotics resistance, high vaginal swab, HIV pregnant women Cite This Article: Kwashie Ajibade Ako-Nai, and Omo-Omorodion B. I., “Antibiotic Drug Resistance in HIV Seropositive Pregnant Women.” American Journal of Microbiological Research, vol. 7, no. 2 (2019): 45-50. doi: 10.12691/ajmr-7-2-2. 1. Introduction Women in their reproductive age are most vulnerable to emerging opportunist infections including HIV/AIDS. This challenge is most prominent in sub-Saharan African countries [1] and poses more risk in pregnancy because of hormonal changes and suppressed immune system, [2] which often put these women at risk of various adverse pregnancy complications and outcomes [3]. HIV in pregnancy is a serious life threatening disease. Evidence has shown that in HIV infected women, pre-invasive cervical lesions relating to HIV immunosuppression may be responsible for increased risk of pathogenic bacterial colonization in infected women [4]. This may be a major reason a high proportion of infected women present with pathogens in their lower genitals during clinic tests. Vaginal infections can be associated with a significant risk of morbidity and mortality especially in pregnant women [5]. These infections often result in a long-term sequelae such as tubal infertility, ectopic pregnancy, reproductive dysfunction and adverse pregnancy outcomes (e.g., preterm labor and delivery and small gestational age, still birth, intrauterine growth retardation) [6] if left untreated. HIV has also been shown to be associated with microbiome shift and immune activation that may affect the outcome of disease progression [7] Antibiotics have been considered the standard treatment of most infections caused by bacteria. They are powerful drugs that destroy or slow down the growth of bacteria. While HIV infection has been reported to be a high risk of pathogenic bacterial colonization, the misuse of antibiotics to treat these bacterial infection is high among women in low and Medium Income Countries (LMIC) [8]. Furthermore, this misuse of drug provides selective pressure that favours the emergency of resistant bacteria strains [9]. However, the global spread of drug-resistant bacterial pathogens has greatly limited the repertoire of antibiotics available to effectively treat patients. As a result, clinicians are becoming increasingly reliant on