An audit for microbiological surveillance and antimicrobial susceptibility in the intensive care unit

Objectives: to document the prevalence of microorganisms and their susceptibility to different antimicrobial drugs in our icu over a period of one year. methodology: 570 samples for culture and sensitivity were sent to laboratory from 6 sites; blood,central venous catheter (cvc) tip,cerebrospinal fluid (csf),wound tissue,tracheobronchial secretions and urine. results: 238 out of 570 culture reports were positive; 9 organisms were tested positive; escherichia coli (110),pseudomonas (42),staph aureus (32),methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus [mrsa] (20),klebsiella (10),proteus (10),candida (6),acinatobacter (5) and beta-hemolytic streptococci (3). meropenem,imipenem,cefoperazone/sulbactam,piperacillin/tazobactam,amikacin,ceftriaxone/ceftazidime and ciprofloxacin in descending order were found to be the antimicrobials with broadest spectrum. conclusions: microbiological surveillance in the icu facilitates the monitoring of changes of dominant microorganisms and antibiotic susceptibilities in the unit helping in the decision of empirical treatment regimes and,as a result,selecting the right antibiotics.