An Insight Into the Bacteriological Profile: Escalating Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns and the Spectrum of...

Enterobacteriaceae are a group of aerobic and facultative anaerobic Gram-negative bacilli known to cause various infections in healthy folks and those with preexisting health conditions.

Current research focuses on analyzing the bacteriological profile of clinical isolates, examining their antimicrobial susceptibility and the spectrum of drug resistance.

The study was conducted on patients admitted to the inpatient/outpatient department at Krishna Hospital, Karad. Clinical samples from patients with suspected infections, including pus, sputum, urine, blood, and other body fluids, were examined. The 156 bacterial isolates were identified using Gram staining and biochemical tests following the standard protocol.

Of the 156 isolates, Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common isolate, with 79 (50.6%), followed by Escherichia coli, with 52 (33.3%). The maximum resistance was demonstrated toward co-trimoxazole (96.3%), ciprofloxacin (88.7%), and ceftazidime (84.6%).

During the study, the prevalence of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL), extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL), and AmpC increased significantly. The study data showed the overall prevalence of MBL, ESBL, and AmpC to be 67.3%, 37.8%, and 38.4%, respectively. Further, the rate of multidrug-resistant isolates was noteworthy (92.6%). Thus, comprehending the resistance pattern and epidemiology of the organism within a specific demographic area can help create better guidelines to curtail such infections.