Antimicrobial susceptibility in intensive care units: MYSTIC Program Brazil 2002

• Published in: The Brazilian journal of infectious diseases Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 44 - 51
• Main Authors: Mendes, Caio, Oplustil, Carmen, Sakagami, Elsa, Turner, Philip, Kiffer, Carlos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases 01.02.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; bacterial; Brazil; carbapenems; Cross Infection - microbiology; Drug resistance; Drug Resistance, Bacterial - drug effects; Gram-Negative Bacteria - drug effects; Gram-Negative Bacteria - isolation & purification; Humans; infection control; INFECTIOUS DISEASES; Intensive Care Units; microbial sensitivity tests; Microbial Sensitivity Tests - methods; Brazil; microbial sensitivity tests; infection control; carbapenems; bacterial; Drug resistance
• ISSN: 1413-8670; 1678-4391; 1413-8670
• DOI: 10.1590/S1413-86702005000100008

Establish the susceptibility pattern of Gram-negative bacteria causing infections in ICU patients, MYSTIC Program Brazil 2002. Gram-negative bacteria (n = 503) causing nosocomial infections were collected at seven Brazilian centers. The central laboratory confirmed the identification and performed the susceptibility tests by E-test methodology (AB Biodisk, Solna, Sweden) for meropenem, imipenem, ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime, cefepime, cefotaxime, piperacillin/tazobactam, gentamicin, and tobramycin. Interpretation criteria used were according to National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS). Pseudomonas aeruginosa (33%) was the most frequently isolated, followed by A. baumannii (17.1%), K. pneumoniae (12.1%), E. coli (10.5%), and E. cloacae (7.9%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates had susceptibility rates of 67.5% to piperacillin/tazobactam, 59.8% to meropenem, 57.3% to imipenem. A. baumannii presented susceptibility rates to meropenem of 89.5%, 88.4% to imipenem, and 74.4% to tobramycin. E. coli and K. pneumoniae were fully susceptible to both carbapenems. Carbapenem resistance among Enterobacteriaceae is still rare in this region. A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa presented elevated resistance rates to all antimicrobials. Since these two bacterial species play an important role in nosocomial infections, the use of empirical combination therapy to treat these pathogens may be justified.