Distribution and antibiogram pattern of Acinetobacter infections in Shahid Mohammadi Hospital, Bandar Abbas, Iran

Acinetobacter species are important opportunistic pathogens, widely spread in hospital's environment and responsible for different health care associated infections. Because of its ability to rapidly develop resistance to the major groups of antibiotics, treatment of Acinetobacter infections is difficult and antibiotic susceptibility tests can help in choosing the best antibiotics, decreasing the cost and duration of hospitalization. The goals of this study were to determine frequency and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Acinetobacter species, clinical parameters and outcomes of patients, in Shahid Mohammadi hospital, Bandar Abbas.
Between April 2010 and March 2011, a total of 2132 positive cultures were obtained from various clinical specimens of hospitalized patients. Suspicious isolates of Acinetobacter were identified by routine microbiological methods. Antibiogram patterns of isolates for 12 currently used antibiotics were determined by Kirby-Bauer method. Clinical and microbiological data of patients was analyzed by SPSS 16 software.
A total of 68 (3.2%) Acinetobacter species was isolated. Acinetobacter isolates was mostly obtained from ICU (24 cases, 35.8%) and emergency (12 cases, 17.9%) wards, and trachea was the major site of infection (41.2%). Colistin with 83.7% susceptibility rate was the most effective antibiotic, followed by ofloxacine 47.4% and chloramphenicol 39.5%. A high rate of resistance was observed to meropenem (98.1%), and cefepime (90.4%). Mortality rate was 14.7% in patients, mostly because of bacteremia.
Because of its serious infections and high-drug resistance, continuous monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibility and strict adherence to infection guidelines are essential to prevent and decrease Acinetobacter infections.