ABSTRACT
Background: Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged as one of the most significant pathogen due to its ability to develop antimicrobial resistance to a broad range of commonly available antibiotics. It represents a serious iatrogenic complication of modern healthcare, where patients acquire infections in healthcare facilities with limited treatment options, resulting in increased morbidity, mortality and health costs. Methods: In this retrospective study, results of culture and antimicrobial susceptibility tests of samples collected from surgical wounds of patients from January to December 2017 were extracted from Laboratory information management system at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Malawi.Results: This study ranks A. baumannii as the fourth common cause of surgical wound infections at KCH, with a prevalence of 12.3%. Other most prevalent isolates were: E. coli (25.9%), S. aureus (25.9%) and Proteus species (17.5%). All A. baumannii isolates were resistant to Amoxicillin/Clavulanate and Ceftriaxone; 96.4% were resistant to Ampicillin; 92.9% were resistant to Gentamycin, Ceftazidime and Sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim; 89.3% were resistant to Ciprofloxacin; and 85.7% were resistant to Cefuroxime and Piperacillin/Tazobactam; while 17.9% were resistant to Meropenem. A total of 82% of the A. baumannii isolates were Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR), while 14% were Extremely Drug Resistant (XDR).Conclusion: The emergence of MDR and XDR A. baumannii at KCH calls for rational use of available antibiotics and regular monitoring of antimicrobial resistance patterns to prevent dissemination of current strains and emergence of new resistant strains.
ABSTRACT
Background and Aims: In Sub-Saharan Africa management of adult patients with febrile illness consists very often of empirical antibacterial and ant malarial treatment. This study examines the frequency, species identification and antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial isolates from blood and determines the frequency of malaria and the proportion of verified malaria cases among presumptively treated patients at a Malawian hospital. Study Design: This is a cross-sectional survey. Place and Duration of Study: Patients were enrolled at the Medical Department of Kamuzu Central Hospital, a referral hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi, between October 2010 and March 2011. Methodology: Patients ≥18 years with an axillary temperature ≥37.5°C were included. Blood cultures, malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), thick blood smears and HIV testing were performed. Results: 180 patients (58.3% female, median age: 31 years) were enrolled. Out of 157 patients, 89 (56.7%) tested HIV positive. Bacteremia was found in 19 (10.6%) patients including 6 (31.6%) Streptococcus pneumoniae, 6 (31.6%) Escherichia coli and 5 (26.3%) Salmonella enterica (4 Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium and 1 Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi). S. typhimurium and E. coli isolates showed frequent resistance to chloramphenicol, ampicillin and cotrimoxazole. Ceftriaxone was given to 110 (61.1%) patients. Malaria was confirmed by positive smear and/or positive RDT(s) in 57 (31.7%) cases. Presumptive antimalarial treatment was administered to 120 (66.7%) patients, however only 54 (45%) of these tested malaria positive. Conclusion: Empirical treatment of bloodstream infections should be based on antibiotic susceptibility of common local pathogens. Clinically suspected malaria should be confirmed by using malaria diagnostic testing before treatment. The use of malaria RDTs has to be carefully supervised and adherence to test results is advisable.