Antibiotic susceptibility profile of clinical isolates of Clostridium species from a tertiary care hospital in North India: A prospective study.

PURPOSE: This study aims to identify the distribution of different clostridial species in human infections, sample types, and their antimicrobial susceptibility profile using the E-test method.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The samples were processed as per the standard bacteriological techniques. Automated anaerobic gas evacuation-replacement system was used to create anaerobiosis (85 % N2, 10 % CO2, 5 % H2). Antibiotic susceptibility of isolated Clostridium species was performed using gradient diffusion (E strip) method against metronidazole, clindamycin, and penicillin.

RESULTS

On antibiotic susceptibility testing by E-test, we have found 96.77 % susceptibility to metronidazole, 90.32 % susceptibility to penicillin, and 74.19 % susceptibility to clindamycin.

CONCLUSION

It can be inferred that the E-test, when performed with the right inoculum, and when given the adequate period of incubation, could be used to reliably perform AST in Clostridium species. It produces a reliable report within 96 h of sample processing.