Community-acquired bacterial pneumonias in Rawalpindi

ABSTRACT

The objective of the study was to determine the bacterial spectrum and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of bacteria causing community-acquired pneumonia in Rawalpindi. Laboratory based, non-interventional descriptive study In vitro activity of various antimicrobials was tested against isolates from 510 specimens including sputum, broncho-alveolar lavage fluid and tracheal aspirates. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done by the modified Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion technique using standard antibiotic sensitivity disks and the results were interpreted according to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards criteria. Minimal inhibitory concentration of penicillin was determined by agar dilution method in all cases where the inhibition zone diameter was 19 mm or less. Bacterial pathogens were isolated from 88 specimens. These included Haemophilus influenzae [73%], Moraxella catarrhalis [12%], Streptococcus pneumoniae [10%] and Haemophilus parainfluenzae [5%]. Isolates of Haemophilus influenzae were generally sensitive to co-amoxiclav [88%] and ceftriaxone [97] where as 33% were resistant to chloramphenicol. All the isolates of M. catarrhalis were sensitive to co-amoxiclav. One isolate of S pneumoniae was resistant to penicillin, while 2 showed relative resistance. H. parainfluenzae was generally sensitive to most of the antibiotics. In our setup co-amoxiclav can be given as empirical treatment for community-acquired bacterial pneumonias