Author: Dipika Priya, Minakshi Gupta, Rashmi & Dr. Santosh Kumar Singh
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.70798/PP/020300051
Abstract: Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important opportunistic pathogen associated with a variety of healthcare-associated infections. The rise of colistin resistance in carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae represents a significant global health threat, as colistin is frequently used as a last-resort antibiotic that requires continuous monitoring for effective antimicrobial therapy and infection control strategies. Present studies evaluate the prevalence and in-vitro antibiotics antibiotic susceptibility of K. pneumoniae clinical isolates at a tertiary care hospital,along with their demographic and clinical distribution. Clinical isolates from a tertiary care hospital, along with their demographic and clinical distribution, were analyzed in this retrospective study, which included 556 Gram-negative bacterial isolates obtained from various clinical specimens between December 2023 and March 2024.The VITEK-2 automated system was used for bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The distribution of K. pneumoniae isolates by gender, age group, clinical specimen and hospital location was evaluated. We also assessed patterns of colistin resistance and susceptibility to other available antibiotics. A Chi-square test was applied to find the association of colistin resistance with demographic variables, (where p <0.05). Extensive resistance to βlactams, carbapenems, fluoroquinolones, and aminoglycosides was detected by antibiotic susceptibilitytesting. In- vitro susceptibility was minimal for fosfomycin (22.7%), ertapenem (18.2%), tigecycline(13.6%)and gentamicin (9.1%), indicating the presence of extensively drug-resistant strains. The emergenceof colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae with extensive drug resistance and serious therapeutic limitations hasbecome a significant public health issue, as this study highlighted. These results highlight the importance of surveillance against antimicrobial resistance, strong infection control policies and practices, and effective implementation of programs related to antimicrobial stewardship in order to limit transmission of resistant strains. Early detection and judicious use of antibiotics are the keys to ensuring colistin and other last-line antibiotics remain effective.
Keywords: Klebsiella Pneumoniae, Colistin Resistance, Antimicrobial Resistance, Nosocomial Infections, Multidrug Resistance, ICU Infections.
Page No: 402-410