Title:Carbapenem Resistance Among Common Enterobacteriaceae Clinical Isolates in Part of North-East India
Volume: 19
Issue: 4
Author(s): Mohan Sharma, Pankaj Chetia*, Minakshi Puzari, Nakul Neog, Upasana Phukan and Amrit Borah
Affiliation:
- Department of Life Sciences, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh- 786004, Assam,India
Keywords:
Carbapenem, resistance, Enterobacteriaceae, north-east India, MDR, gram-negative bacteria.
Abstract: Background: Enterobacteriaceae, the normal dwellers in the human intestine, are commonly
associated with a variety of community-acquired and nosocomial infections. An emerging trend
of antibiotic resistance among these strains is a notable issue globally; a more serious threat is the resistance
against the available last resort antibiotics- the carbapenems.
Objective: The objective of our study was intended to determine the burden of resistance towards
common antibiotic classes so as to address the gap of drug resistance prevalence data, among the Enterobacteriaceae
isolates obtained from the health settings in this region.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was done with an inclusion of clinical isolates collected from
varied sources from health settings in upper Assam. The isolates were identified based on standard
methods of morphology study and biochemical tests. The identified isolates were then subjected to antibiotic
susceptibility testing by following the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, and the result was
interpreted as per the CLSI guidelines. The resistance of the reported carbapenem-resistant isolates
was confirmed by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination using a commercial E-strip
kit.
Results: Among the enterobacterial isolates Klebsiella spp. accounted for the majority, followed by
Escherichia coli, Citrobacter spp., Shigella spp. and others. Multi-drug resistance (MDR) was noted
among 67.6% isolates; however, carbapenem resistance was confirmed in 18.9% of the total Enterobacteriaceae
isolates.
Conclusion: Higher prevalence of resistance towards carbapenems, among the Enterbacteriaceae isolates
of upper Assam seems to be an upcoming threat to the region, limiting the treatment options in
the future.
