Introduction: Gram-negative pathogens resistant to carbapenems, including Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) represent a significant public health threat. Enterobacterales are implicated in a wide range of medical infections, which pose significant concerns due to limited treatment options. These bacteria are frequently responsible for infections in healthcare environments.
Aim: The objective of this study is to evaluate the epidemiological burden of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria obtained from clinical specimens over a two-year period within a tertiary healthcare facility.
Materials and Methods: This research was performed across a two-year interval, from June 2022 to May 2024, during which several clinical samples were collected and evaluated in the Microbiology Laboratory. Gram-negative bacteria from various clinical samples were isolated and subjected to identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing via the VITEK 2 automated system (BioMérieux, Durham, North Carolina) with results interpreted conferring to CLSI 2022 rules.
Result: The analysis of 1,750 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and Enterobacterales isolates was performed. Among these, Carbapenem resistance was detected in 639 isolates, representing 36.5% of the total. The distribution of resistant isolates was as follows: 398 (62.2%) were Enterobacterales, 132(20.6%) were Acinetobacter baumannii and 109 (17%) were Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Conclusion: Current research recognized a total prevalence of 36.5% for Carbapenem-resistant A.baumannii, P.aeruginosa and Enterobacterales constant with earlier records from India. Isolates resistant to carbapenem are at the maximum frequency in these locations underscoring the critical need for stringent infection prevention measures in addition to well-employed antimicrobial stewardship programs to reduce infection rates.
Keywords: Carbapenem resistance, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Gram-negative, Enterobacterales, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia.
