Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 30, 2026

Replication of the Ordered, Nonredundant Library of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PA14 Transposon Insertion Mutants
11:35

Replication of the Ordered, Nonredundant Library of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PA14 Transposon Insertion Mutants

Published on: May 4, 2018

Antibiotic utilization and Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistance in intensive care units

Vladimíra Vojtová1, Milan Kolár, Kristýna Hricová

  • 1Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Palacky University and University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic.

The New Microbiologica
|August 4, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Antibiotic use increased in intensive care units over ten years. Pseudomonas aeruginosa developed resistance to most treatments, except amikacin and piperacillin/tazobactam.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Hospital Epidemiology

Background:

  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a significant cause of severe hospital-acquired infections.
  • Nosocomial infections pose a major threat in intensive care units (ICUs).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze antibiotic utilization trends in ICUs.
  • To investigate the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in relation to antibiotic use.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective observational study of antibiotic utilization (ATC/DDD system) from 1999-2008 in a university hospital ICU.
  • Monitoring of specific antibiotic classes including carbapenems, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, and beta-lactams.
  • Isolation and susceptibility testing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains from clinical samples.

Main Results:

  • Overall antibiotic utilization increased from 23.52 to 27.48 defined daily doses per 100 bed-days between 1999 and 2008.
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa was a major pathogen, causing 42% of pneumonias and 23% of surgical wound infections.
  • P. aeruginosa strains showed increasing resistance to most tested antibiotics, with amikacin and piperacillin/tazobactam remaining effective.

Conclusions:

  • Rising antibiotic consumption in ICUs correlates with increasing antimicrobial resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  • Amikacin and piperacillin/tazobactam demonstrated sustained efficacy against P. aeruginosa during the study period.
  • Effective antibiotic stewardship is crucial to combat nosocomial infections caused by resistant pathogens.

More Related Videos

Use of Artificial Sputum Medium to Test Antibiotic Efficacy Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Conditions More Relevant to the Cystic Fibrosis Lung07:46

Use of Artificial Sputum Medium to Test Antibiotic Efficacy Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Conditions More Relevant to the Cystic Fibrosis Lung

Published on: June 5, 2012

Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses11:17

Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses

Published on: August 30, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing01:28

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
Acute Pyelonephritis II: Diagnostic Studies and Management01:28

Acute Pyelonephritis II: Diagnostic Studies and Management

Introduction:For diagnosing acute pyelonephritis, a comprehensive patient history is collected to identify symptoms such as dysuria, frequent or urgent urination, flank pain, or costovertebral angle (CVA) tenderness that may suggest a kidney infection.Physical ExaminationDuring the physical examination, CVA tenderness is assessed. This involves gentle percussion over the costovertebral angle, where tenderness often indicates a kidney infection.Diagnostic TestsUrinalysis: Used to identify white...
Urine Studies II: Urine Culture and Sensitivity Test01:26

Urine Studies II: Urine Culture and Sensitivity Test

A urine culture and sensitivity test is a diagnostic procedure used to identify urinary tract bacterial infections and determine the most effective antibiotics for treatment. This test is generally preferred when a patient shows manifestations of a urinary tract infection, such as frequent or painful urination, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, or lower abdominal pain.Purpose of the TestThe primary goals of a urine culture and sensitivity test are to:Determine the specific bacteria causing the...
Development of Antibiotic Resistance01:30

Development of Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotic treatments. This resistance can be intrinsic, acquired through genetic mutations, or transferred between bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. The development of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges in treating bacterial infections and necessitates ongoing research to develop new therapeutic strategies.Intrinsic resistance occurs when bacterial...