Incidence of bloodstream infections in a speciality hospital in Kuwait: 8-year experience

ABSTRACT

To determine the frequency of isolation and antibiotic-susceptibility patterns of clinically significant bacterial pathogens isolated from blood. The study was conducted over a period of 8 years [1995-2002] at Infectious Diseases Hospital [DH], Kuwait. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from medical records. 18,535 blood cultures were analyzed. Disk diffusion method was used to perform antibiotic-susceptibility testing. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of 9 antimicrobials were determined using E-test. Double disk [potentiation] test and E-test ESBL strips were used to detect the production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases [ESBLs]. Salmonella spp. and Brucella spp. were predominant blood isolates, and represented 60.6 and 30.0% of all clinically significant episodes of bloodstream infections, respectively. Among the Salmonella, Salmonella enterica serotypes typhi and paratyphi A were most frequently isolated. The percentage of multidrug resistance [MDR] among them varied from 22 to 51%. A high percentage [40%] of MDR S. enterica serotypes typhi and paratyphi A also showed reduced susceptibility to ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin. During the study period, Salmonella spp. and Brucella spp. were predominant blood isolates. MDR S. enter/ca serotypes typhi and paratyphiA, with reduced susceptibility to ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin, are among the most frequent causes of bloodstream infections in IDH, suggesting the need to monitor their susceptibility