PREVALENCE AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE PROFILE OF BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM SURVEILLANCE CULTURES IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT OF A TEACHING HOSPITAL IN WESTERN PARANÁ

Abstract

Introduction: Patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), due to the severity of their clinical conditions and invasive procedures, are at increased risk for bacterial infections, significantly contributing to morbidity and mortality. Objectives: To identify the main bacteria found in the ICU of a private hospital in Cascavel, Paraná, between January and December 2019, and to assess the resistance profile of these bacteria to antimicrobials used in clinical practice. Methods: A retrospective observational cross-sectional study based on the analysis of laboratory reports issued by the hospital's supporting laboratory, also located in the same municipality, between January and December 2019. Results: Of the 527 nasal and rectal swab reports, 515 (97.7%) were positive, with the highest prevalence in male patients aged 61 to 80 years (57%). A total of 22 bacterial species were isolated. Among Gram-negative bacilli, Escherichia coli was the most prevalent (66.5%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5.5%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (4.2%), and Klebsiella oxytoca (3.8%), which were primarily resistant to Ampicillin, Nalidixic Acid, and Ampicillin + Sulbactam. Among Gram-positive cocci, Enterococcus faecalis (3.2%) was the most prevalent, showing high resistance to Clindamycin, Ceftriaxone, Erythromycin, and Tetracycline. Conclusion: Gram-negative bacteria were the most prevalent in surveillance cultures of rectal and nasal swabs at the analyzed hospital, with special attention to E. coli.