Carbapenem resistance profile of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in our hospital

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the resistance rates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) strains isolated from hospitalized patients in our hospital between 2011 and 2014 against carbapenem antibiotics. Methods: A total of 5266 E. coli and 1360 K. pneumoniae strains isolated from different clinical samples were included in the study. Identification and antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed using the BD Phoenix 100 (Becton Dickinson, USA) automated system. Carbapenem resistance rates were evaluated according to imipenem, meropenem and ertapenem resistance. Results: Carbapenem resistance was detected at a higher rate in K. pneumoniae strains compared to E. coli both bacteria were most frequently isolated from internal medicine ward and urine samples. Ertapenem stood out as the most resistant antibiotic. An increasing trend in carbapenem resistance was noted throughout the study. Conclusion: The increasing carbapenem resistance observed in K. pneumoniae strains necessitates the development of more careful and effective strategies regarding antibiotic use in the management of nosocomial infections.