Frequency and antimicrobial susceptibility of Acinetobacter species isolated from blood samples of paediatric patients

Objective: acinetobacter species is a major nosocomial pathogen causing serious infections in immuno-compromised and hospitalized patients. the aim of this study was to determine the frequency and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of acinetobacter species in blood samples of paediatric patients. methodology: this cross sectional observational study was conducted during january to october, 2011 at the children’s hospital and institute of child health, lahore. a total number of 12,032 blood samples were analysed during the study period. acinetobacter species were identified using api 20e and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern was studied using kirby- bauer disc diffusion method. results: the blood cultures showed growth in 1,141 cultures out of which 46 (4.0%) were acinetobacter species. the gender distribution of acinetobacter species was 29 (63.0%) in males and 17 (37.0%) in females. a good antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of acinetobacter species was seen with sulbactam-cefoparazone (93.0%), imepenem and meropenem (82.6% each) and piperacillin-tazobactam (78.0%). the antimicrobial susceptibility of cefixime (19.5%), co-amoxiclav and cefotaxime (23.9% each), cefuroxime (26.0%), ceftazidime and ceftriaxone (30.4%) was poor. conclusion: the results of the present study shows high rate of resistance of acinetobacter species with cephalosporins in nosocomial infections. the sulbactam-cefoperazone, carbapenems and piperacillin-tazobactam showed effective antimicrobial susceptibility against acinetobacter species.