Prevalence of multidrug resistant and extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Resistance to broad-spectrum beta-lactams, mediated by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase enzymes (ESBL), is an increasing problem worldwide. The present study was undertaken to determine the incidence of ESBL-production among the clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and their susceptibility to selected antimicrobials. A total of one eighty-seven clinical specimens were tested for the presence of ESBL production using the double-disc synergy test. Of these, 25.13% (. n=. 47) isolates of P. aeruginosa were observed as ESBL positive. The maximum number of ESBL-producing strains were found in sputum (41.67%; n=. 24) followed by pus (28.36%; n=. 19), cerebrospinal fluid and other body fluids (21.74%; n=. 5), urine (20.45%; n=. 9) and blood (13.79%; n=. 4). ESBL producing isolates exhibited co-resistance to an array of antibiotics tested. Imipenem and meropenem can be suggested as the drugs of choice in our study.