Bacterial Resistance to Commonly Prescribed Antibiotics in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Retrospective Review of Evidence

Background: Antibiotic resistance is a growing global healthcare challenge and efforts to contain it are being outpaced by rapid emergence of resistant microbes. Common environmental pathogens have been reported to be manifesting resistance to several antibiotics to which they were once sensitive. In hospital setting, close contact between patients and caregivers allow resistant strains to easily spread in hospital wards. Evidence of antibiotic resistance is needed to inform rational selection of drugs for infectious diseases.

Aim: The aims of this study were to determine common pathogenic bacterial isolates among patients and their antibiotic sensitivity profiles.

Methods: This was a cross sectional retrospective study using laboratory records of antibiotic resistance profiles of bacterial isolates obtained from patient medical samples. Antibiogram records for one year period were obtained and relevant data extracted for analysis

Results and Discussion: The most commonly isolated bacteria included Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae which together accounted for over two thirds of all isolates. Most of the isolates were resistant to at least four antibiotics; Penicillins, Sulphonamides and Tetracyclines exhibited the highest level of resistance. Resistance to these antibiotics is well reported in literature and their empirical prescription threatens their efficacy in the management of infectious diseases.

Conclusion: Antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacteria was high, there is need to emphasize evidence based prescriptions to not only improve clinical outcomes but also to preserve the efficacy of current antibiotic stock.