The antibiogram of pus cultures in federal tertiary care hospital, Islamabad and its utility in antimicrobial stewardship

Farhan Kursheed; Asraar Tabassum; Umme Farwa; Samia Wazir; Muhammad Shafiq; Ahmareen Khalid Sheikh

doi:10.18502/ijm.v16i1.14871

Farhan Kursheed Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Asraar Tabassum Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Umme Farwa Department of Microbiology, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan
Samia Wazir Department of Microbiology, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan
Muhammad Shafiq Department of Microbiology, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan
Ahmareen Khalid Sheikh Department of Microbiology, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v16i1.14871

Keywords: Antimicrobial drug resistance; Antimicrobial stewardship; Antibiotic resistance; Antibiotic susceptibility testing; Bacterial sensitivity test

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance has emerged as a significant global health threat. Infections caused by Multi Drug-Resistant (MDR) bacteria pose formidable challenges in terms of treatment options and patient outcomes. Pus cultures serve as crucial diagnostic tools in identifying the agents responsible for various infections, and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns which help in establishment of empirical therapy guidelines. This study was conducted to determine the pathogen and its susceptibility pattern from pus cultures and to generate antibiogram in our tertiary care setting. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study, conducted for a period of six months, from July 2022 to December

2022, in the Pathology Department of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

Results: Out of total 2507 samples received, 1242 (49.5%) showed positive culture. Among the 1242 positive samples, 364 were Gram positive cocci (GPCs) and 878 were Gram negative rods (GNRs). Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was the most common isolate (23%) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (22.6%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16.9%), Enterobacter spp. (15.5%) and Escherichia coli (14.2%). Vancomycin was found to be highly effective (100%) against MRSA. GPCs were highly susceptible to linezolid (98%) while GNRs showed high level of sensitivity to colistin (96%) and tigecycline (92%).

Conclusion: The generation of a local antibiogram specific to the hospital setting is essential to effectively manage infections empirically and preserve the efficacy of existing antibiotics. By implementing antimicrobial stewardship practices based on a better understanding of antibiotic susceptibility patterns, we can contribute to the mitigation of antibiotic resistance and improve patient outcomes.