PATTERNS OF BACTERIAL ISOLATES AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY IN CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY CULTURES

Abstract

Globally, bacterial infections remain a major contributor to morbidity, and the increasing emergence of antimicrobial resistance has complicated effective clinical management. Continuous monitoring of bacterial distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns is essential to support appropriate antibiotic selection and antimicrobial stewardship. The distribution of bacterial isolates from culture-positive clinical specimens and an assessment of their antibiotic susceptibility patterns were the objectives of this investigation. Forty culture-positive bacterial isolates were subjected to descriptive cross-sectional research in the lab. In compliance with the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), the bacteria were identified using Gramme staining, colony morphology, and biochemical testing, and their antibiotic susceptibility was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique. Microsoft Excel was used to analyse the data and summarized using frequencies and percentages. The most frequent source of specimens was urine, which was followed by sputum and pus or wound swabs. Most of the bacteria were Gram-negative, and E. coli, S. aureus, and K. pneumoniae were the most frequently isolated species. E. coli was mainly isolated from urine specimens, whereas S. aureus predominated in wound specimens. Reduced susceptibility to ampicillin was observed among several Gram-negative isolates, while amikacin and meropenem showed high effectiveness. Vancomycin and linezolid continued to be completely effective against gram-positive isolates. The results underline the significance of regular culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing for evidence-based treatment and antimicrobial stewardship, as well as the prevalence of Gram-negative bacteria.