Antibiotic Resistance Pattern of Pathogens, Among Intensive Care Unit Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate antibiotic resistance patterns of pathogens in patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.
Study Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Department of Microbiology, Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Karachi, Pakistan, from January 2021 to December 2021.
Methods: Patients with positive microbiological cultures from various specimens, collected during their stay in the Intensive Care Unit from January 2021 to December 2021, were included in the study. A non-probability consecutive sampling technique was used to enroll all eligible patients. Patients under 13 years, admitted for less than 48 hours, and referred from elsewhere were excluded.
At the patient's bedside, specimens were collected with aseptic measures and sent straightaway to the lab. Standard microbiological procedures with protocol were followed for culture, identification, and susceptibility testing. Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS version 25.
Results: The antimicrobial profile of Gram-positive cocci showed that all isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were Methicillin-resistant and sensitive to Linezolid and Vancomycin. Streptococcus pyogenes showed resistance (100%) to Ciprofloxacin, Doxycycline, Tigecycline, Clindamycin, Erythromycin, and Cotrimoxazole. 80% of Enterococcus species were resistant to Vancomycin; however, all isolates (100%) were susceptible to linezolid, Doxycycline, and Tigecycline. All Gram-Negative Rod isolates were susceptible to polymyxin (100%). All Proteus mirabilis isolates were resistant to Ceftazidime, Co-trimoxazole, Doxycycline, and Tigecycline. Salmonella typhi isolates showed Extensive drug resistance. Acinetobacter baumannii isolates (100%) were resistant to Ceftriaxone,
Meropenem, Piperacillin-Tazobactam, Amikacin, Gentamicin, Levofloxacin, and Co-trimoxazole. Among Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates, the resistance rates were 100% for Ceftriaxone, Meropenem, Piperacillin- Tazobactam, Amikacin, Gentamicin, Levofloxacin, and Doxycycline. 100% of E. coli isolates were resistant to Ceftriaxone, Piperacillin-Tazobactam, Doxycycline, Gentamicin, Levofloxacin, and Co-trimoxazole. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (60%) showed resistance to Meropenem and Piperacillin-Tazobactam; however, all isolates were resistant to Amikacin and Gentamicin.
Conclusion: Significant resistance patterns were observed in Gram-negative rods and Gram-positive cocci.

How to cite this: Talib S, Kadir T, Abid SH, Malik S, Sana F, Amjad S. Antibiotic Resistance Pattern of Pathogens, Among Intensive Care Unit
Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Life and Science. 2026; 7(2): 181-188. doi:
http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.1017