Retrospective Analysis of Blood Stream Infections and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Gram Negative Bacteria in a Tertiary Care Cancer Hospital

Bacterial bloodstream infections are important causes of morbidity and mortality globally. The aim of the present study was to determine the bacterial profile of bloodstream infections and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern among the clinically diagnosed cases of sepsis in cancer patients.

In the present study, etiological and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of blood cultures over a period of 1 year at a tertiary cancer care hospital was done. Blood culture positive isolates were identified using standard microbiological methods and by Fully automated BD Phoenix 100. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the organisms was performed by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method and MIC (Minimum inhibitory concentration) was done by Fully automated BD Phoenix 100.

There were 1178 blood culture samples, of which 327 (27.7%) were identified to be culture positive. Out of 327 positive cultures, 299 (91.4%) showed bacterial growth, Gram negative were 161 (53.8%) and Gram positive were 138 (46.1%). Candida species were isolated from 13 (3.97%) of positive samples and 15 samples showed contamination. The most common Gram-negative isolate was. Escherichia coli (37.80%) and Gram-positive isolate was coagulase-negative staphylococci (52.80%). Escherichia coli showed highest sensitivity to amikacin (83.60%) and sensitivity to piperacillin+ tazobactum and cefaperazone+sulbactam was 54.09% and 52.45% respectively. High degree of resistance was found to cephalosporins and levofloxacin.

The results indicate high level of antimicrobial resistance among Gram negative bacilli in septicemic patients. The results warrant continuous monitoring of antimicrobial pattern so as to build geographical epidemiological data.