Antimicrobial resistance patterns in Acinetobacter baumannii: A study from a tertiary care center in Vadodara, Gujarat

Abstract

Background: Acinetobacter species are a major cause of nosocomial infections, contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality globally. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of Acinetobacter isolates derived from various clinical specimens at a tertiary care hospital in Vadodara, Gujarat. Materials and Methods: Specimens were cultured on 5% sheep blood agar and MacConkey agar, followed by identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing using the VITEK 2 automated system (BioMerieux, France). Results: Among 107 positive samples collected from January 2021, to October, 2021, the highest frequency of isolates was observed in urine samples (48, 44.86%). A significant majority of isolates (89, 83.17%) exhibited resistance to three or more classes of antibiotics. Colistin susceptibility was observed in 101 isolates (94.4%). The susceptibility rates for Acinetobacter baumannii were 75.7% for tigecycline and 47.7% for carbapenems. Conclusion: The combination of colistin and tigecycline remains crucial for treating multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii until new therapeutic options become available. This study underscores the necessity of ongoing antimicrobial resistance surveillance and the strengthening of antibiotic stewardship programs to reduce the prevalence of resistant Acinetobacter strains and other bacteria.