Antibiogram and Antibiotic Resistance Patterns in Bacterial Isolates from Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar

Background Empirical antibiotic therapy is facilitated by antibiograms as they provide local bacterial resistance data and patterns. Antibiograms are critical tools that offer comprehensive, institution-specific information on antimicrobial susceptibilities, enabling clinicians to make informed decisions about empirical treatment and guiding antimicrobial stewardship efforts. The rising incidence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) organisms is a significant challenge in countries like Pakistan. Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the resistance patterns of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria at Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) to commonly used antibiotics, with a specific focus on identifying MDR pathogens. Methods A retrospective study was conducted using antibiogram data from January to September 2022, focusing on both Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms. Sensitivity patterns for antibiotics such as Ceftazidime, Imipenem, Meropenem, Amikacin, Oxacillin, and Teicoplanin were checked. Results Acinetobacter posed a significant challenge to treatment, displaying only 6% sensitivity to Ceftazidime. This extremely low sensitivity indicates an alarmingly high level of resistance, which is of great concern as it severely limits treatment options for Acinetobacter infections. Such high resistance to Ceftazidime, a broad-spectrum cephalosporin, suggests that infections caused by this pathogen may require the use of last-resort antibiotics or combination therapies, potentially leading to increased healthcare costs and poorer patient outcomes. Additionally, Acinetobacter showed only 37% sensitivity to Ciprofloxacin, further confirming its status as an MDR pathogen in hospital settings. Conclusion The results show the growing threat of MDR organisms at HMC, Peshawar. This underscores the urgent need for robust antimicrobial stewardship programs, enhanced infection control practices, ongoing surveillance of resistance patterns, healthcare provider education, and regional collaboration to address the challenge of antimicrobial resistance.