Assessment of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae from clinical isolates of hospitalized patients

Objective: Klebsiella pneumoniae, a non-motile, Gram-negative rod of the Enterobacteriaceae family, is an opportunistic pathogen commonly associated with nosocomial infections and community-acquired diseases in both patients and healthy individuals. The aim of this study is to assess the carbapenem resistance and alternative antibiotic options in clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted in CMH, Multan, for 3-5 months. One hundred various clinical samples (blood, BAL, urine, pus, sputum, tissue, and wound fluids) that were received in microbiology laboratory of the hospital were processed for bacterial growth on blood and MacConkey agar plates. The clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae were identified, and their antibiogram profiles were studied. Isolates resistant to Imipenem, meropenem alone or both were considered carbapenem resistant. Results: Of 110 clinical samples, 50% yielded Klebsiella pneumoniae, of which 67.3% were carbapenem resistant. Most patients were aged 50–70 years (mean 58.04 ± 17.31); 65.5% isolates were from males. Strains were mainly recovered from blood (38.2%), pus (27.3%), and sputum (12.7%). High resistance was observed to imipenem (69.1%) and meropenem (47.3%), while sensitivity to colistin and tigecycline was 100% and 72.7%, respectively. Conclusion: In conclusion, carbapenem resistance was frequent among clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, and there should be combination therapy of colistin, tigecycline, and meropenem against infections of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. Keywords: Carbapenem-resistant, Colistin, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Meropenem, Tigecycline