Publication:

Prevalence of Acinetobacter spp. in lower respiratory tract infections and its antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in a tertiary care hospital

Background Acinetobacter spp. are regarded as commensal microbes of human skin and respiratory tract; however, they may cause serious infections, such as endocarditis, urinary tract infections (UTI), pneumonia, wound infections, especially in individuals with impaired host defenses. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Acinetobacter spp. isolated from lower respiratory tract (LRT) specimens in a tertiary care hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.

Methods A total of 1031 lower respiratory tract (LRT) samples, including sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), endotracheal tube (ET)/ aspirate and pleural fluid, were collected from inpatients and outpatients. Acinetobacter spp. were isolated and identified using standard microbiological techniques and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed.

Results Out of 801 (77.69%) culture-positive samples, 136 (16.98%) were identified as Acinetobacter spp. The highest isolation rate was observed in ET samples (80.15%), followed by sputum (16.91%), BAL (2.21%) and pleural fluid (0.74%). The majority of Acinetobacter spp. were isolated from patients in the medical ICU (29.37%) and the critical care unit (26.98%). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed high resistance rates to cefotaxime (99.26%), ceftriaxone (97.79%) and other antibiotics. Colistin was the only antibiotic to which all isolates were susceptible.

Conclusions The high prevalence of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter spp. in LRT infections poses a significant challenge for clinicians. Implementing strict infection control measures, judicious use of antibiotics and regular monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibility patterns are essential to prevent the spread of these resistant pathogens in healthcare settings.