Spectrum and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of Bacteria Isolated from Medical Devices

Abstract

Introduction: Various invasive medical devices used for the management of critically ill patients
may act as a potential source of infection. Antibiotics are the basis of treating any infection but
there is an alarming issue of emergence of antimicrobial resistance, among the bacterial isolates.
Knowledge of bacterial flora associated with device related infections and their antimicrobial
susceptibility pattern is important and might help health care workers to control infection as well
as to start any effective empirical therapy. This retrospective study was conducted to investigate
the bacteria isolated from medical devices and to know their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern.
Methods: Laboratory record of all device samples submitted for culture and sensitivity to the
department of Microbiology, BPKIHS from January 2012 – December 2016 were reviewed. Profile
of microorganisms isolated and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern were analyzed.
Results: Out of 1105 samples submitted, 742 (67%) yielded the growth of bacteria. Further
analysis revealed that most commonly isolated organisms were Acinetobacter spp (34%) followed
by Staphylococcus aureus (23%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14%). Analysis of antibiogram
showed increasing trends of resistance towards commonly used drugs like ciprofloxacin,
ceftriaxone, gentamicin, imipenem and high rate of multidrug resistance.
Conclusion: Our result shows recovery of diverse spectrums of bacterial isolates from different
medical devices. Increasing trend of resistance in isolated organisms towards routinely used
drugs was also found.
Key words: Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern, Medical devices, Multidrug resistance