Authors : Rachana Patel, Mannu R Jain
DOI : 10.18231/j.ijmmtd.2019.045
Volume : 5
Issue : 4
Year : 2019
Page No : 198-203
Introduction: Septicemia is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in India. Blood culture remains
the gold standard for the diagnosis of septicemia. The antimicrobial sensitivity pattern differs in different
studies. Knowledge of likely causative organisms of septicemia and their antimicrobial sensitivity pattern
can help to start appropriate therapy in order to minimize morbidity and mortality.
Aim: To isolate the etiological organisms causing sepsis and study the antimicrobial susceptibility profile
and its mechanism of resistance pattern.
Materials and Methods: The observational study of 206 positive blood culture was carried out in the
Department of microbiology, tertiary Care Hospital during the period from December 2015 to November
2016 and processed by standard conventional method. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern of isolates was
studied by Kirby Bauer Disc diffusion technique.
Observations & Results: Total 1281 samples were received during the study period of which 206
(16.08%) samples were found to be positive. Bacteria isolated include CONS (15.04%), S.aureus (14.08%),
Klebsiella pneumonia (19.90%), Acinetobacter spp (10.19%), Escherichia coli (8.74%), Pseudomonas spp
(7.77%), Salmonella typhi (1.46%) and Salmonella paratyphi A (0.49%). Majority of organisms Isolated
were resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Imipenem showed 83% and colistin 94.69% sensitivity for
gram negative organisms. Methicillin resistance was found in 2.91% Staphylococcus aureus Isolated. The
Gram positive bacteria showed high resistance to Penicillin G (75%) but they were highly susceptible to
Azithromycin (70%), Levofloxacin (80%) Linezolid (100%) and Vancomycin (98%)
Conclusions: Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most predominant etiological agent of septicemia. Every
hospital should monitor its antibiotic sensitivity pattern against the common isolates that can serve as a
basis for empirical therapy in emergency conditions. Considering the burden of mortality resulting from
septicemia, better diagnostic facilities should be employed for the early detection of septicemia and rational
use of narrow spectrum and antibiotics is recommended.
Keywords: Septicemia, Antibiotic susceptibility, Drug resistance.