Isolation, Identification and β-lactamase detection of Multi-Drug Resistant Acinetobacter species from Patients admitted in Intensive Care Units of Hospital

Abstract

Acinetobacter species are ubiquitous, free-living saprophytes, natural habitats are water and soil, and have been isolated from foods, arthropods, and the environment. Acinetobacter species is now a day's very important opportunistic pathogen, responsible for the fatal health care associated (Nosocomial) infection with high morbidity and mortality rates. Acinetobacter species infections are more frequent in critically ill patients of intensive care units (ICUs) of the hospital. Such infections are widely increasing because of its ability to develop rapid resistance towards the major groups of antibiotics. That resistance is due to some specific enzymes like extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL), carbapenemase and metallo β-lactamase. In our study isolation and identification of this fatal pathogen was carried out along with its β-lactamase detection. Total of 350 samples were studied out of which 99 isolates were obtained over a period of 18 months (July 2013-December 2014). Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done by Kirby-Bauer's disc diffusion method with commercially available antibiotic discs on Muller-Hinton's agar plates. In our study we found 17% of Acinetobacter species as multidrug resistant (MDR) strains with 57% ESBL positive.