Bacterial Profile and Antibiotic Resistance of ESKAPEE Pathogens Isolated in Intensive Care Units from Blood Cultures: A Cross-Sectional Study from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (2018–2022)

<b>Background:</b> Antibiotic resistance is a significant health problem in healthcare settings, especially intensive care units (ICUs), where patients are critically ill. This study aims to identify the bacterial profile and antibiotic resistance patterns of <i>Enterococcus faecium</i>, <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>, <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i>, <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>, <i>Enterobacter</i>, and <i>Escherichia coli</i> (ESKAPEE) in blood specimens collected from adult patients admitted to the ICUs of public hospitals in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The World Health Organization lists these pathogens as priority pathogens that greatly threaten humans. <b>Methods:</b> This cross-sectional study used routinely collected data through the AMR surveillance system between 2018 and 2022. <b>Results:</b> A total of 838 culture-positive blood specimens were reported during the study period, and 965 ESKAPEE pathogens were isolated. The most frequently isolated bacteria were <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> (31%), <i>Escherichia coli</i> (22%), and <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (20%). <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> exhibited high resistance to Amikacin (81%), Meropenem (72%), and Imipenem (87%). <i>Escherichia coli</i> demonstrated resistance to Imipenem (42%) and Cefotaxime (54%). <i>Klebsiella</i> pneumoniae showed resistance to Imipenem (37%) and Cefotaxime (39%). <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> showed resistance to Penicillin G (80%), Oxacillin (4%), and Ciprofloxacin (54%). <b>Conclusions:</b> The study showed a high prevalence of resistance in the most frequently isolated ESKAPEE pathogens in adult ICU patients. This brings into focus the need for appropriate infection control measures and strong antibiotic stewardship programs. The findings of the study support the ongoing efforts to deploy a better diagnostic tool for rapid pathogen identification, which is key in the targeted management of patients with bloodstream infection, especially in ICUs.