Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of extended‑spectrum beta‑ lactamase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates in an Indian tertiary hospital
Volume 4, Issue 3, Summer 2015, Pages 153-159
. Amit Kumar Singh, . Sonali Jain, . Dinesh Kumar, . Ravinder Pal Singh, . Hitesh Bhatt
Abstract Objective: There is an increased prevalence of extended‑spectrum beta‑lactamase producing
Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL‑KP) worldwide including India, which is a major concern
for the clinicians, especially in intensive care units and pediatric patients. This study aims to
determine the prevalence of ESBL‑KP and antimicrobial sensitivity profile to plan a proper
hospital infection control program to prevent the spread of resistant strains.
Methods: KP isolates obtained from various clinical samples were evaluated to detect the
production of ESBL by phenotypic methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility profile was also
determined of all the isolates.
Findings: Of 223 nonduplicate isolates of K. pneumoniae, 114 (51.1%) were ESBL producer
and antimicrobial susceptibility profile showed the isolates were uniformly sensitive to
imipenem and highly susceptible to beta‑lactamase inhibitor combination drugs(67–81%) and
aminoglycosides (62–76%), but less susceptible to third generation cephalosporins (14–24%)
and non‑β‑lactam antibiotics such as nitrofurantoin (57%), fluoroquinolones (29–57%),
piperacillin (19–23%), and aztreonam (15–24%).
Conclusion: This study found that beta‑lactamase inhibitor combinations are effective
in treatment of such infections due to ESBL‑KP thus these drugs should be a part of the
empirical therapy and carbapenems should be used when the antimicrobial susceptibility
tests report resistance against inhibitors combinations.