Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Nosocomial Bacteria across Different Units at King Faisal Complex Hospital, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES

Nosocomial infections significantly impact patient morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. To determine the prevalence, bacteriological profiles, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and resistance distribution of pathogens causing nosocomial infections at King Faisal Medical Complex, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2023 and March 2024 at different hospital units following ethical approval. Samples (n = 667) were collected from patients (both genders; all ages) exhibiting infection symptoms ≥48 h post-admission and pre-antibiotic administration. Bacterial identification involved culture, Gram staining, and biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested using the Phoenix100 system.

RESULTS

Of 667 patients, 55% were men/boys, and 45% were aged 14-59 years. The highest infection rate was noted in the intensive care unit (26%), followed by the male surgical (19%) and medical wards (14%). The female surgical ward (10%) had the lowest infection rate. The most common sample sources were urine (28%), blood (17%), wound and sputum (16%), and swabs (15%). Gram-negative bacteria (mainly Escherichia coli [E. coli] and Klebsiella pneumonia 70%) predominated over gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus [S. aureus] and Enterococcus faecalis; 30%). Multidrug-resistant pathogens were most frequent in the intensive care unit (ICU) 37.6%, with gram-positive isolates exceeding gram-negative isolates.

CONCLUSION

Our results highlight the prevalence of nosocomial infections in different hospital units, with E. coli and S. aureus as dominant pathogens. The high prevalence of multidrug-resistance warrants continuous surveillance and tailored antimicrobial stewardship programs to combat resistance.