ANTIBIOGRAM OF URINARY CATHETER-ASSOCIATED BACTERIAL PATHOGENS IN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, KING KHALID GENERAL HOSPITAL, HAFER AL-BATEN, SAUDI ARABIA.

BACKGROUND

Patients in intensive care units are more susceptible to catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) caused by drug resistant bacteria.

METHODS

This retrospective study was done to determine the antibiogram of Urinary Catheter-associated Bacterial Pathogens in the Intensive Care Unit, at King Khalid General Hospital, Saudi Arabia, using full automated MicroScan walkaway 96 plus Beckman Coulter.

RESULTS

Among the identified bacteria, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the most prevalent, accounting for 33.7% (29/86) and 23.3% (20/86), respectively. High resistance was documented against ciprofloxacin 75.6% (65/86), cefuroxime 69.8% (60/86), levofloxacin 68.6% (59/86) and amoxicillin/clavulinic acid 65.1% (56/86), but Colistin showed high activity against the isolated bacteria with low resistance rate 5.81 % (5/86). Frequency of multi-drug-resistant bacteria revealed a rate of 65.1% (56/86). Resistance to piperacillin/tazobactam and cefuroxime was significantly associated with length of stay in the intensive care unit, duration of antimicrobial use, and catheterization duration with a p<0.05. Also, the results strongly indicated that resistance to all cephalosporins examined was significantly associated with long stay in ICU.

CONCLUSION

The identified bacteria among CAUTIs displayed resistance to at least one agent in three or more antimicrobial groups, indicating high resistance of common prescribed antibacterial agent in the study area.