Ramalingam Sekar1, Manoharan Mythreyee, Seetharaman Srivani, Dharmaraj Sivakumaran, Sivathanu Lallitha, Selvam Saranya. 1. Departments of Microbiology and *Pediatrics, Government Theni Medical College, The Tamilnadu Dr MGR Medical University, Theni; and #Department of Microbiology, Dr ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Chennai; India. Correspondence to: Dr Ramalingam Sekar, Assistant Professor of Microbiology, Government Theni Medical College, Theni, India. sekaralingam@gmail.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To measure the frequency of antimicrobial resistance in pediatric blood culture isolates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. with focus on carbapenem resistance. METHODS: Over a period of three years, pediatric blood culture isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility, including molecular investigations for carbapenem resistance. RESULTS: Amikacin, carbapenems, colistin and tigecycline had an antimicrobial efficacy of >70% (n=140). 7 of the 15 randomly selected isolates were positive for carbapenemase gene; among them, five were New Delhi Metallo b-lactamase (NDM). CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of Klebsiella spp. in pediatric bacteremia and dissemination of NDM-mediated carbapenem resistance in pediatric wards.
OBJECTIVE: To measure the frequency of antimicrobial resistance in pediatric blood culture isolates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. with focus on carbapenem resistance. METHODS: Over a period of three years, pediatric blood culture isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility, including molecular investigations for carbapenem resistance. RESULTS:Amikacin, carbapenems, colistin and tigecycline had an antimicrobial efficacy of >70% (n=140). 7 of the 15 randomly selected isolates were positive for carbapenemase gene; among them, five were New Delhi Metallo b-lactamase (NDM). CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of Klebsiella spp. in pediatric bacteremia and dissemination of NDM-mediated carbapenem resistance in pediatric wards.