Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Bacterial Isolates from Clinical Specimens at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia: Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background: Bacterial infections constitute a large portion of infectious disorders. The location of culture-positive specimens and profiles of antibiotic resistance for common pathogens have been the focal points of subsequent investigations. Methodology: The diagnosis of microbiology was carried out using traditional culture techniques. In accordance with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines, the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method was employed for antimicrobial susceptibility analysis. The data were extracted from WHONET 2022 software version 22.5.5 and analyzed using SPSS software. Results: In total, 2489 pathogens were isolated from 2073 patients in three consecutive years. About 768 (34.9%) of the isolates were from the neonatal intensive care unit and the pediatric wards, and 63.2% isolates were from blood specimens. The ESKAPE pathogens were predominant (67%). About 100 Enterobacteriaceae family member bacteria were resistant to carbapenem drugs, and 320 isolates of this family were expected to be beta lactamase producers. A total of 120 methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolates were also identified. Conclusions: Among the isolates, ESKAPE pathogens accounted for the greatest proportion. Most isolates were from the neonatal intensive care unit. A significant number of multidrug-resistant, extreme drug-resistant, and pandrug-resistant isolates were identified in the present study.