Etiology of blood culture from septicemia cases and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern at a tertiary care hospital

Septicemia contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality especially in hospitalized patients. The situation further deteriorates with increasing rate of multidrug resistance. Therefore, the early and accurate diagnosis and start of empirical treatment is a success key to cure such infection. However, for successful treatment, geographical epidemiological etiology is must. Blood culture is the gold standard for the diagnosis of septicemia.

In the present study, etiological and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of blood culture collected from in-patients, out-patients, and ICU patients in three months at a tertiary care hospital was done. Blood culture positive isolates were identified using standard microbiological, biochemical tests. The antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Oxacillin disc diffusion test was used to identify MRSA.

A total of 217 blood culture were positive out of which 110 (50.6%) were from pediatric group. Gram positive cocci (60.8%) outnumbered Gram negative bacilli (39.2%). Among Gram positive, S. aureus (51.5%) was the most common isolate followed by CoNS (39%). Among Gram negative, Klebsiella spp. (32%) was most common followed by Acinetobacter spp. (21%). Among isolates, 35% were MRSA and 30% were ESBL producer.

The results indicate emergence of high rate of antimicrobial resistance among septicemia patients. The results warrant continuous monitoring of etiology and antimicrobial pattern so as to build geographical epidemiological data. This may help clinicians to select appropriate empirical treatment to control such infections especially in hospitalized patients.