ANTIMICROBIAL SENSITIVITY PATTERN OF PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA ISOLATED FROM SPUTUM AND ISSUES RELATED TO THE RATIONALSELECTION OF ANTIMICROBIALS

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is not only increasing the healthcare costs but also the severity and death rates from certain infections that could have been avoided by rational use of the existing and newer antimicrobial agents.. The present study is undertaken to prepare local antibiogram of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from sputum and to discuss general issues related to antimicrobials use.Total 310 sputum samples were collected and tested bacteriologically using standard procedures. Culture positivity of urine samples was found to be 66.7 %. The most common pathogens were K. pneumoniae (40.2 %) followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (28.3%), E. coli (14.1%), Staphylococ ci (12.5%) and others (4.9 %). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done by disk diffusion method described by Kirby-Bauer (1961). Pseudomonas aeruginosa is most sensitive for gatifloxacin, cefoperazone, amikacin, cefipime, ceftazidime, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin.Considering the antibiotic susceptibility testing, cost, side effects and many other factors, gatifloxacin should be preferred for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection for RTI.