Abstract
Objective: To determine prevalence of bacteria
causing nosocomial infections among patients
admitted in intensive care unit and their antibiotic
susceptibility pattern.
Methodology: This cross sectional observational
study was conducted in Pathology department of
Sahara Medical College, Narowal from August 2020
to January 2021. Patients admitted in intensive care
unit had specimens taken for bacterial culture of blood,
urine, catheter tip, tracheal secretions or pus and were
cultured on suitable culture media. Gram staining and
standard biochemical methods were used to identify
organisms. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern was
determined on Mueller Hinton agar using disc
diffusion method against conventional and newer
antibiotics.
Results: Out of 200 bacterial samples, 120 did not
show any growth while 80 showed growth. Isolated
bacteria included E. coli (36.3%), K. pneumoniae
(13.7%), P. aeruginosa (10%), Proteus spp. (21.3%),
Acinetobacter (12.5%) and S. aureus (6.2%). Urinary
tract infection was present in 36.2% cases and
respiratory tract infection in 17.5% cases.
Staphylococcus aureus was highly sensitive to
imipenem (100%) and cefoxitin (100%). E. coli, K.
pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, Proteus SPP and
Acinetobacter were highly sensitive to imipenem
(93%).
Conclusion: Gram negative organisms were
commonly isolated from patients admitted in ICU. Out
of gram-positive organisms, staphylococcus aureus
was most common. Gram-negative organisms were
partially sensitive to most antimicrobials while staph
aureus showed increased resistance.
Keywords: Intensive care unit, gram-positive
bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, nosocomial infection,
antimicrobial susceptibility.
