PREVALENCE AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERN OF Pseudomonas aeruginosa STRAINS ISOLATED FROM VARIOUS CLINICAL SAMPLES IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, MIRAJ

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa are responsible for different healthcare-associated infections and are intrinsically resistant to many commonly used antibiotics. Hospital antibiograms are either not prepared or not regularly updated in most healthcare facilities. The aim of the present study was to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of P. aeruginosa isolates from various clinical samples in a tertiary care centre in order to guide antibiotic prescription for better patient safety in the hospital. Methods: Total 161 isolates were recovered from various specimens for a period of 12 months from January 2024 to December 2024 and the disc diffusion method was used for antibiotic susceptibility testing as per CLSI guidelines. Results: Prevalence of P. aeruginosa was 3.01%. Among the entire gram negative organisms (1571) isolated from different samples Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were around 10.24%. male patients accounted for 59% and female patients 41%. majority of the patients (44.09%) belonged to the age group 45-65 years .Out of the 161 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates studied, 71% were susceptible to Imipenem, 71% to Aztreonam , 63% to Amikacin,, 70% to Piperacillin-Tazobactum, 53% to Ceftazidime, 59% to Tobramycin & 42% to Ciprofloxacin respectively. Conclusions: Due to rise in Multi Drug resistant strains of P. aeruginosa , Infection control procedures and surveillance programmes for MDR organisms have to be implemented. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of P. aeruginosa in Clinical wards and Intensive care Units has to monitored strictly and the results should be readily made available to clinicians so as to help them in making clinical judgement in therapy to reduce development of drug resistance and associated comorbities.