A 2-year comparative study of prevalence and antimicrobial resistance pattern of nonfermenting gram negative bacilli in ICU vs other units in a teaching hospital in Telangana

ABSTRACT Background: Nonfermenter bacteria which were previously considered as contaminants have now emerged as major cause of life-threatening healthcare-associated infections and as multidrug-resistant pathogens. Infections caused by them are predominantly secondary to some predisposing conditions like immunosuppression, burns, long-term antibiotic usage etc. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and antimicrobial resistance pattern of Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter spp. by comparing the results from ICUs to other units at a teaching hospital in Telangana. Methods: A retrospective study over a 2-year period where all the nonfermenter GNBs isolated from various clinical samples sent to bacteriology section of microbiology department between 2022 and 2023 were collected. Results: During the period of study, a total of 263 nonfermenter GNBs were obtained out of 1792 IP-positive cultures accounting for 14.6% of their prevalence. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (182/263) 69% was the common NFGNB isolated followed by Acinetobacter baumanii (81/263) accounting to 31% of NFGNB. Most common culture specimen received from ICU was endotracheal aspirate (33%), whereas from other units, pus was the common specimen (45%). Overall antimicrobial resistance rate was less toward carbapenems 15% and 32% in both Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumanii, respectively. Conclusion: Our study shows high rate of NFGNB which raises the concern for rapidly emerging multidrug resistance. This requires the control of hospital environment and strict adherence to hand hygiene practices as well as rationale use of antibiotics by formulating the local antibiogram.