Prevalence and carbapenem resistance profile of Gram-negative bacteria isolated from clinical samples of patients in an intensive care unit

Abstract

Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria, especially carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (CRGNB), represent a serious public health problem. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of GNB isolated from different clinical samples of patients hospitalized in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), as well as their susceptibility profiles to carbapenems. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, carried out through the collection of culture data from patients hospitalized in the ICU of a teaching hospital, during the year 2023. Results: A total of 168 GNB strains were included in this study, 25% belonging to the Acinetobacter baumannii Complex (ABC), 23.2% to Klebsiella pneumoniae, and 19.6% to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Regarding carbapenem-resistant strains, ABC represented 47.1% of the 87 resistant isolates, followed by 28.7% to K. pneumoniae and 16.1% to P. aeruginosa. Tracheal aspirate was the clinical material with the highest frequency of CRGNB. In addition, a higher number of CRGNB isolates was observed in male patients and those over 51 years of age. Conclusion: Greater attention is needed by the competent bodies regarding the occurrence of CRGNB in the hospital environment with a view to implementing measures to prevent and control the spread of these bacteria.