Regional antimicrobial
surveillance programs might help to guide empiric antimicrobial
therapy. This study
reports the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of 2198 isolates from
bloodstream infections in a period of 1997 to 2002. Susceptibility testing was performed by broth microdilution
methods. The most frequent organism was
Staphylococcus aureus (23.4%) with an
oxacillin-resistance rate of 41.8%. Extended Spectrum
Beta Lactamases phenotype was presented in 10.0% of
Escherichia coli and 49.4% in
Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates.
Imipenem and
meropenem were active against 74.3% and 84.0% of
Acinetobacter spp. and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. Bacterial resistance continues to be a great problem in Argentinean medical centers.