Antimicrobial resistance of gram-negative isolates from intensive care units in Turkey: comparison to previous three...

Area of Science:

• Medical Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

• Gram-negative bacteria are a significant cause of hospital-acquired infections, particularly in intensive care units (ICUs).
• Monitoring antibiotic resistance patterns is crucial for effective treatment strategies and infection control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare antibiotic resistance rates of gram-negative bacteria from Turkish ICUs in 1998 with data from the preceding three years.
• To identify trends in antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter study involving 16 Turkish hospitals collected 1,404 gram-negative bacterial isolates from 1,060 ICU patients.
• Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using Etest for various agents including imipenem, ciprofloxacin, and cefepime.
• Isolates were primarily from urinary and respiratory tracts.

Main Results:

• Pseudomonas spp. (29.7%), Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter, and Klebsiella spp. were the most common gram-negative isolates.
• Imipenem (73.4% susceptible) was the most active agent, followed by ciprofloxacin (60.6%) and cefoperazone-sulbactam (58.7%).
• While overall susceptibility declined in 1996 and increased in 1997, 1998 showed stable susceptibility to imipenem and cefepime, a tendency for increased amikacin resistance, and favorable increases for other antibacterials.

Conclusions:

• Antibiotic resistance patterns in Turkish ICUs exhibited dynamic changes over a four-year period.
• The implementation of a surveillance program and enhanced understanding of resistance may have contributed to observed trends.
• Continued monitoring is essential to guide antimicrobial therapy and combat resistance.