Microbial Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance of Bloodstream Infections in Hospitalized Patients During...

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) remain a global health threat with high mortality, compounded by shifting pathogen distributions and rising antimicrobial resistance. It is vitally important to clarify the epidemiology and antibiotic resistance transition of BSI pathogens. This retrospective study analyzed clinical data, pathogen profiles, and antimicrobial susceptibility of BSI inpatients from 2019 to 2023 in Xiangyang, China. Among 2312 isolates, Gram-negative bacteria (52.4%) predominated over Gram-positive bacteria (45.5%), with fungi comprising 2.1%. The prevalence of Gram-negative bacteria showed an increasing trend, while that of Gram-positive bacteria declined. Predominant pathogens included Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Notably, 37 cases of polymicrobial BSIs were identified. S. aureus, E. coli, and K. pneumoniae exhibited high resistance to most common antibiotics. Although resistance rates of methicillin-resistant S. aureus and carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae have decreased, they remain substantial. Conversely, carbapenem-resistant E. coli prevalence increased annually. The microbes causing BSI are diverse, with varying epidemic characteristics and antibiotic resistance trends. Continuous monitoring of BSI pathogen epidemiology and resistance trends is essential to guide empirical therapy and control resistant strain transmission.