M. Wajid1 , Shazia Naaz2 , Lakshmi Jyothi3
BACKGROUND Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) are one of the commonest health problems demanding frequent consultation and hospitalization. Unnecessary and inappropriate initial antibiotic therapy is a potentially modifiable factor that is associated with increased mortality in patients with serious infections. We wanted to study the bacterial profile and susceptibility pattern of lower respiratory tract infection in a tertiary care hospital. METHODS This was a retrospective study done in the department of Microbiology at ESIC Medical College and Hospital, over a period of one year, from April 2018 to March 2019. A total of 122 samples from respiratory tract were studied for bacterial isolates and antibiotic susceptibility. RESULTS A total of 122 cases were studied. The male female ratio was 2.9:1. Sputum samples were the most common type of sample. Majority of the samples were from the chest ward (39.4%) followed by RICU (9.8%). On culture, Klebsiella pneumonia was most prevalent followed by Acinetobacter baumannii, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. CONCLUSIONS The present study was based on the pattern of resistance to commonly used antibiotics by organisms causing lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in our Institute. This may help us to study the more susceptible group of drugs in our institute which would help prepare an antibiogram and develop a policy for rational prescribing of antibiotics in LRTI cases and thereby ensuring early recovery of patients and help in reducing the further spread of antibiotic resistance.
