Bacteriological Profile, Serology and Antibiotic Sensitivity Pattern of Micro-organisms from Community Acquired Pneumonia

ABSTRACT

A study of 233 consecutive patients with pneumonia was done in the Microbiology Department of the Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana. Laboratory investigations like blood culture, sputum culture and serology were done to establish the diagnosis. Rates of isolation of organisms from blood culture, sputum culture and serology were 21.9%, 32% and 27.1% respectively. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella, pneumoniae, other gram negative organisms, fungi like candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus were isolated by culture AFB was isolated in 5% of cases. Serology for Mycoplasma and Chlamydia was positive in 16.5% and 17.6% of the patients respectively. An etiological diagnosis was made in 47.7% cases with a definitive evidence in 31% and presumptive evidence in 16.7%. No etiological diagnosis could be made in 52.3% cases. Best antibiotic sensitivity results for organisms isolated from sputum culture were from third generation cephalosporins followed by flouroquinolones and aminoglycosides. Blood culture sensitivities also revealed a similar pattern.