[Ciprofloxacin resistance in gram negative bacilli. Epidemiologic aspects]

Area of Science:

• Clinical Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Context:

• Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is a widely used antibiotic for treating Gram-negative bacterial infections.
• Monitoring antimicrobial resistance patterns is crucial for effective treatment strategies.
• The study period spanned from April 1990 to March 1992.

Purpose:

• To investigate the prevalence of ciprofloxacin resistance in Gram-negative bacilli.
• To analyze the temporal distribution of resistant strains by bacterial species, sample source, and hospital departments.
• To identify the most common resistant Gram-negative pathogens.

Summary:

• A total of 7,478 samples were analyzed, identifying 481 ciprofloxacin-resistant (CIPr) isolates (6.4%).
• Key resistant species included Providencia stuartii (50%), Pseudomonas cepacia (44.4%), and Xanthomonas maltophilia (26.9%).
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Acinetobacter baumannii were the most frequently isolated resistant strains, with increasing isolation rates for E. coli and A. baumannii over the study period.

Impact:

• The findings indicate a significant increase in ciprofloxacin resistance for E. coli and A. baumannii over two years (p < 0.001).
• A high proportion of E. coli CIPr were community-acquired (44.5%), while A. baumannii (92.9%) and P. aeruginosa (77.6%) were predominantly hospital-acquired.
• This underscores the need for ongoing surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship to combat rising resistance.