Sensitivity profile of multidrug resistant Acinetobacter Spp. isolated at ICUs of tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Context: In the hospital environment, Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) can colonize the respiratory, urinary, gastrointestinal tract and wounds of the patients and can cause infections in burn, trauma, mechanically ventilated and immunocompromised patients. It shows a special predilection for the ICU. The most alarming problems encountered during this period are the organism's ability to accumulate diverse mechanisms of resistance and the emergence of strains that are resistant to all commercially available antimicrobials coupled with the lack of new antimicrobial agents. Aims: To study the resistance pattern of multidrug resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter spp. in ICU. Settings and Design: This is a 6-month retrospective study conducted in the Microbiology department. Materials and Methods: The present study was carried out in the Microbiology department of a tertiary care hospital and teaching institute. During the study period (Jan-June 2013), 370 samples were collected aseptically and processed immediately following collection. Growth was identified by observing the colony characteristics on the blood agar and MacConkey agar plates and biochemical reaction using standard microbiological methods. The bacterial isolates were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing by standard Kirby Bauer Disc Diffusion methods. Statistical Analysis Used: No. Results: Out of 370 samples, 83 (22.4%) samples were found to be positive for Acinetobacter spp. Among the 83 Acinetobacter isolates, 29 (34.9%) extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and 8 (9.6%) were carbapenemase producers and 3 were MDR. Conclusions: Emergence of MDR Acinetobacter strains alarms us to take care of risk factors like irrational prescription of higher antibiotics, prolonged stay in ICU and use of mechanical ventilation. However, polymixin B and tigicycline are effective to treat infection caused by MDR Acinetobacter.