Prevalence of Acinetobacter Species Isolated from Clinical Samples Referred to Al-Kafeel Hospital, Iraq and Their Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns from ۲۰۱۷-۲۰۲۱

Background and Objective: Acinetobacter has been considered an important nosocomial pathogen since ۱۹۷۰. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of Acinetobacter infection during ۲۰۱۷-۲۰۲۱, study the antibiogram of these bacteria, and study the impact of gender on infection. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study in which data of the clinical samples received in Al-Kafeel Hospital, Kerbala, Iraq, between April ۲۰۱۷ and February ۲۰۲۱ were searched for Acinetobacter infection and their antibiotic susceptibility testing. Results: The prevalence of Acinetobacter infection was ۹.۲% of cases. Male to Female ratio was ۳:۱, and there was a significant difference in Acinetobacter infection regarding gender. There were high resistance rates to major antibiotic classes. Maximum resistance was recorded for Amoxicillin (۱۰۰%), followed by ۳rd generation cephalosporins, including Cefotaxime (۹۲.۳%), Ceftriaxone (۹۱.۶%), Ceftazidime (۹۱.۳%), Cefixime (۸۰%); in addition to growing resistance to carbapenems, Imipenem (۴۲.۸%) and Meropenem (۶۲.۲%). The lowest resistance rates were found to colistin sulfate (۱۰%). There ۸۰.۷% of the isolates were multidrug-resistant MDR. Conclusion: Acinetobacter spp., is considered as fast emerging opportunistic agents with evolving drug resistance. Rationale use of antibiotics is important and necessary to prevent microbial resistance. Gender is considered a risk factor for Acinetobacter infection.

Keywords:

Acinetobacter spp. , Antibiotic Susceptibility test , Sex differences , MDR , Iraq