Bacilos gramnegativos no fermentadores en infecciones asociadas a la atención de la salud en el Servicio de Caumatología de un hospital provincial en Cuba

Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) increase hospital stays and contribute significantly to patient morbidity and mortality. Among the main etiological agents are non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli, which display multiple mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance. Objective: To characterize isolates of non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli obtained from biological samples of patients with HAIs in the Burn Unit of the Camilo Cienfuegos Provincial General Hospital in Cuba, between June 2019 and May 2020. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive observational study was conducted. A total of 33 samples meeting the inclusion criteria were analyzed. Bacterial identification followed clinical microbiology standards. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer method according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines and the National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance. Results: Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most frequently isolated non-fermenter, both in purulent exudates and blood cultures. β-lactams showed high resistance rates, while colistin and ceftazidime were the most effective antimicrobials in vitro. Conclusions: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. exhibited multidrug resistance, particularly to β-lactams, carbapenems, and aminoglycosides, posing a therapeutic challenge in the management of HAIs.