Epidemiological Study of Lactose- and Non-lactose-Fermenting Gram-Negative Bacterial Isolates From Clinical Specimens in the Middle Al-Furat Region of Iraq

Six hundred and eighty-two Gram-negative bacterial isolates revealed that 468 (68.6%) were lactose-fermenting species, including E. coli (47.7%, 325/682), Klebsiella pneumoniae (13.9%, 95/682), and Enterobacter cloacae (7.0%, 48/682), while 214 (31.4%) were non-lactose-fermenters, predominantly Pseudomonas aeruginosa (10.6%, 72/682), Acinetobacter baumannii (8.5%, 58/682), Salmonella typhi (8.9%, 61/682), and Proteus mirabilis (3.4%, 23/682). Antibiotic susceptibility testing showed the highest efficacy for ampicillin (84.2%) and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (75.5%), followed by cefotaxime (75.5%), ceftazidime (71%), imipenem (58.4%), and meropenem (63.8%), with all isolates exhibiting significant resistance (p < 0.0001) Conclusion: This work emphasizes the place of the Gram-negative bacteria as nosocomial and community-acquired pathogens. The rates of resistance are in accordance with a public health problem in the Middle Euphrates region.