Bacteriological profile and antimicrobial resistance patterns of clinical bacterial isolates in a University Hospital

The objective of this study was to determine the patterns of bacterial isolates found in blood culture of patients with bactermia in King Abdul Aziz University Hospital in addition to determination of antibiotic resistance. A retrospective analysis of the 672 positive samples collected over the period of December 2006-December 2008. The observed mean age was 40 years with comparable distribution in both genders. 65.2% of the population were Non-Saudi. 65.5% of isolates were Gram positive, mainly Staphylococcus epidermidis, on the other hand Klebsiella was the common Gram negative bacteria. Diabetes has been observed in 38.5%. Mortality was 32.4 (P-value 0.001) in diabetic patients versus non-diabetics. Benzyl penicillin, clindamycin, erythromycin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, oxacillin caused resistance to more than 50% of Gram positive organisms whereas antimicrobial resistance to ampicillin, nitrofurantoin, levofloxacin, piperacillin, cefuroxime and cefuroxime was found in Gram negative isolates. To conclude vancomycin, teicoplanin, linizolid, and piperacillin/tazobactam, were effective antimicrobial agents against the majority of bacterial isolates. Gram positive organisms are the common cause of bactermia. The highest risk of mortality is associated with Streptococcus pyogenes.