Bacteriological Profile and Antibiotic Resistance Pattern in Respiratory Tract Infection at a Tertiary Care Hospital

One of the most prevalent ailments afflicting people worldwide, particularly in underdeveloped nations, is respiratory tract infection (RTI). Public health and the results for patients are seriously threatened by the increasing prevalence of resistant bacteria to antibiotics among the bacterial infections that cause RTIs. The purpose of this study is to ascertain the pattern of antibiotic resistance and bacteriological profile of RTI patients who are admitted to a hospital with tertiary care. Material & Methods: 92 patients with a clinical suspicion of RTI participated in a prospective trial. Clinical samples were collected and processed according to standard microbiological protocols. The isolated pathogenic microbes were identified by biochemical testing, and in accordance with CLSI standards, the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique was employed to test them for antibiotic susceptibility. Result: Out of 92 samples, 50 (54.35%) were culture-negative, 3 (3.26%) had fungal growth, and 39 (42.39%) had bacterial growth. Klebsiella species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli, Acinetobacterbaumannii and Staph. Aureus, among others, were the most common bacterial isolates. High resistance to ceftazidime (83.33%) & aztreonam (83.33%) was found in Klebsiella isolates, with piperacillin (66.66%) and tigecycline as (58.33%) following closely behind. Conclusion: The study shows that multidrug-resistant organisms, especially Klebsiella spp., are quite common in RTI cases. For efficient care and to direct empirical therapy, it is essential to regularly evaluate bacterial trends and patterns of antibiotic susceptibility. Strict infection control procedures and the prudent use of antibiotics are required to counteract the growing threat of resistance to antibiotics.