Prevalence of Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase, AmpC β-Lactamase and Metallo-β-Lactamase Among Gram Negative Bacilli Recovered From Clinical Specimens in Benin City, Nigeria

Multidrug resistant bacteria continue to be a bane in the treatment of clinical infections in Nigeria. Knowledge of trends in resistance mechanisms is vital in determining available therapeutic options.
This study was aimed at determining the prevalence, distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility of extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL), AmpC β-lactamase and metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-producing gram negative bacteria (GNB) recovered from clinical specimens in a tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria.
A total of 309 consecutive non-repetitive clinical bacterial isolates were recovered from various clinical specimens. The presence of ESBL, AmpC β-lactamase and MBL as well as the susceptibility profiles were determined using standard microbiological techniques.
ESBL was the most prevalent (P A prevalence of 41.7%, 15.2% and 28.5% was observed for ESBL, AmpC β-lactamase and MBL respectively in this study. Isolates that produced any of the enzymes were more resistant to antibacterial agents. Prudence in antibiotic use is strongly advocated.