ABSTRACT
The aim of this descriptive study was to determine the prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae from different clinical specimens, their antibiotic susceptibility pattern and the extended-spectrum b-lactamase [ESBL] production among such isolates at Armed Forces Hospital, Al-Kharaj, Saudi Arabia, from November, 2004 to October, 2007. A total of 328 isolates of K. pneumoniae recovered from 8152 different specimens were studied for ESBL production and antimicrobial susceptibility. The prevalence of K. pneumoniae was 4% [328/8152]. We observed a high percentage of K. pneumoniae resistant to ampicillin [100%] and tetracycline [92%]. The prevalence of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae was found to be 10.4% [34/328]. The ESBL-producing strains were mostly from aspirates [25%] followed by sputum [20%] and blood [18.2%]. These ESBLproducing isolates were highly resistant to gentamicin and ciprofloxacin. All isolates were susceptible to imipenem. Our findings demonstrate a high percentage of ESBL-producers among clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae and a high rate of multidrug resistance. Continued infection control measures and prudent use of antimicrobial agents are essential in reducing the spread of multi-resistant ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae