Applicability of cascade reporting among the uropathogens from a tertiary healthcare center: A pilot study targeting...

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a mounting global health problem underlining the need for an effective antimicrobial stewardship program (AMSP). Cascade reporting holds a major role in AMSP. The recent introduction of a tier system for cascade reporting in CLSI 2023 suggests restricted reporting for second-line or broader-spectrum antimicrobial agents.

In this pilot study, Tier 1 and Tier 2 antibiotics were identified for different groups of uropathogens based on available antibiogram data. Uropathogens with significant bacteriuria were identified over a period of 10 months (March-December, 2023) and their antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) pattern was analyzed as per the tier system.

Cascade reporting was done in 10.6 % of samples with significant bacteriuria and a majority of these isolates belonged to the in-patient department (IPD) with high susceptibility to four different classes of antibiotics in Tier 1.

This study emphasizes the scope of cascade reporting in antimicrobial stewardship at a tertiary healthcare center in India.