Diagnosis of Nosocomial Bacterial Pneumonia in Mechanically Ventilated Patients of Intensive Care unit

Ventilator associated pneumonia is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in mechanically ventilated patients. Infection caused by multiple drug resistant pathogens is the important contributing factor of device related pneumonia. Therefore the study was conducted for the diagnosis of the ventilator associated pneumonia in mechanically ventilated patients and to formulate an antibiotic policy for patients admitted in ICU.

The study was carried out for a period of one year on 50 patients. Screening of samples such as sputum, tracheal aspirates, pleural fluid, tip of endotracheal tube by polymorph count in Gram staining and confirmation by culture and colony grading methods.

Out of 50 patients studied, the incidence of ventilator associated pneumonia was seen in 5(10%) patients. The most common organisms identified were Gram negative bacteria, Klebsiella pneumonia 37.5%, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 25% each, Staphylo-coccus aureus accounts for 12.5%.

Ventilator associated pneumonia remains to be a very important hospital acquired infection. The local data on prevalence of the isolated pathogens and their antibiotic susceptibility may help clinicians to choose more appropriate initial antibiotics in order to improve the outcome and to decrease the emergence of resistant organisms.