Trends in bacteriological spectrum and antibiotic susceptibility on blood culture in pediatric cardiac patients at a tertiary childcare health facility

Objectives: To report trends in bacteriological spectrum and antibiotic susceptibility on blood culture in admitted pediatric cardiac patients at a Tertiary Childcare Health Facility.

Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the Department of Pediatric Cardiology, The Children’s Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Multan from January 2018 to December 2020. We included admitted children of both genders aged one day to 12 years and whose blood sample was sent for blood culture analysis. Gram staining was used to identify isolated organisms. Distribution of types of strains, bacterial isolates and antimicrobial sensitivity/resistance were recorded.

Results: During the study period, a total of 772 blood samples were sent for blood culture analysis, out of which, 154 (19.9%) turned out to be positive. Mean age was noted to be 1.12±2.3 years. Gram negative rods were the most frequently noted strains found among 69 (44.8%) cases. A total of 131 strains were found to have bacterial isolates. Salmonella typhi was the commonest bacterial agent noted in 30 (19.4%) cases while Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus in 18 (11.7%) and acinetobacter baumannii in 16 (10.4%).

Conclusion: Blood culture positivity rate was found to be 19.9%. Gram negative rods were the most frequently noted strains. Salmonella typhi, Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus and Acinetobacter baumannii were found to be the commonest bacterial isolates responsible. Routinely used antibiotics like Ciprofloxacin, Cefotaxime, Ceftizadime and Ampicillin were found to have high rates of resistance against most commonly found bacterial isolates.