Epidemiology and Pattern of Resistance of Gram-Negative Bacteria Isolated from Blood Samples in Hospitalized Patients: A Single Center Retrospective Analysis from Southern Italy.

BACKGROUND

Blood culturing remains the mainstream tool to inform an appropriate treatment in hospital-acquired bloodstream infections and to diagnose any bacteremia.

METHODS

A retrospective investigation on the prevalence of Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) and their resistance in hospitalized patients by age, sex, and units from blood cultures (BCs) was conducted from January 2018 to April 2020 at Sant'Elia hospital, Caltanissetta, southern Italy. We divided the patient age range into four equal intervals.

RESULTS

Multivariate demographic and microbiological variables did not show an association between bacteria distributions and gender and age. The distribution by units showed a higher prevalence of and in the intensive care unit (ICU) and in the non-intensive care units (non-ICUs). The analysis of antibiotic resistance showed that was susceptible to a large class of antibiotics such as carbapenem and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. showed a significant susceptibility to colistin, tigecycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. From the survival analysis, patients with had a higher survival rate.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors stress the importance of the implementation of large community-level programs to prevent bacteremia. and susceptibility patterns to antibiotics, including in the prescription patterns of general practitioners, suggest that the local surveillance and implementation of educational programs remain essential measures to slow down the spread of resistance and, consequently, increase the antibiotic lifespan.