Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Bacterial Isolates from Bloodstream Infections in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Western India

Background: Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. Timely identification of causative organisms and their antimicrobial susceptibility are essential for effective management and infection control. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of bacterial pathogens that cause BSIs and their resistance patterns in a tertiary care hospital.Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted from October 2023 to October 2024 at the NAMO Medical Education and Research Institute, Silvassa. A total of 2,290 blood culture samples from patients with suspected BSIs were processed using both manual and automated methods. Bacterial isolates were identified using conventional biochemical tests and the VITEK-2 compact system. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using disk diffusion and automated methods in accordance with the CLSI 2023 guidelines.Results: Of the 2,290 samples, 199 (8.7%) were culture-positive and 116 isolates were confirmed to be pathogenic. Escherichia coli (27.6%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (26.7%) were the most common Gram-negative isolates, while Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis predominated among Gram-positive organisms. High levels of resistance were observed against third-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones, especially against Klebsiella and Acinetobacter. Colistin and linezolid retained 100% efficacy against all the isolates. This study highlights the growing challenge of multidrug-resistant pathogens in BSIs, underscoring the need for routine susceptibility testing, local antibiogram-guided therapy, and robust antimicrobial stewardship. Empirical treatments should be regularly updated based on regional resistance trends to improve patient outcomes and curb the spread of resistant organisms.