Do seasonal changes and climate effect the prevalence of antibiotic resistance of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex?

Abstract

The high rate of carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii Complex (ABC) is indicated as a threat to public health. We aimed to determine the ABC isolated from Near East University hospital from 2016 to 2019 based on seasonality and climate changes. A total of 218 patients were examined between 2016 and 2019. All isolates were healthcare-acquired isolates, which are defined as those obtained after 48 hours of admission. All isolates were identified by a Phoenix 100 System. Antibiotic susceptibility analysis was reported based on EUCAST guidelines. Isolates were grouped according to seasons as follows: December through February as Quarter 1 (Q1); March through May as Quarter 2 (Q2); June through August as Quarter 3 (Q3); and September through November as Quarter 4 (Q4). Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS Ver 13.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, ABD) program. There were significant differences between the number of patients with ABC infections according to years (p=0.000). The rate of carbapenem resistance of ABC was 86.2 % (n = 188). The resistance rates of the ABC isolates as well as carbapenem resistance peaked in October. The infection increased in the summer and decreased gradually in the autumn, winter and spring (p = 0.009). No significant difference was found between the carbapenem resistance of ABC infection and seasonality (p = 0.202). We have found that ABC infections and the carbapenem resistance of ABC increases in the summer months. However, more studies should focus on the epidemiological aspect of ABC infections.