Enteric susceptibility profile: finding hope amidst despair

Abstract

Objective: To assess the overall antimicrobial susceptibility profile of enteric fever patients in a tertiary care setting.

Method: The retrospective study was conducted at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan, and comprised data from January 2019 to April 2023 of patients aged >12 years who were admitted with febrile illness and had a blood culture positive for salmonella typhi. Demographic data as well the antimicrobial susceptibility profile parameters, like multidrug resistance, extensive drug resistance and extended spectrum beta lactamase status, were recorded. Data was analysed using SPSS 25.

Results: Of the 734 cases, 522(71.1%) were males and 212(28.9%) were females. There were 88(11.98%) patients with multidrug resistance, 178(24.25%) with extensive drug resistance, and 50(6.81%) were positive for extended spectrum beta lactamase. There were 452(62.6%) patients sensitive to first-line drugs, 509(69.5%) to second-line drugs, and 722(99.2%) to third-line drugs.

Conclusion: Drug resistance in enteric fever patients was found to be alarming.

Key Words: Typhoid fever, Salmonella typhi, Multidrug resistance, Extensive drug resistance, Beta-lactamases.