Abstract

RESISTANCE PATTERN OF 3RD GENERATION CEPHALOSPORINS

Arshed Hussain, Nighat Razvi, Fakhsheena Anjum*, Rabia Humayoun

ABSTRACT

Objective: To determine resistance of third generation cephalosporins against different clinical isolates obtained from various clinical laboratories in Karachi, Pakistan. Methodology: Based on convenient sampling, 100 clinical isolates of E. coli, Enterococci, K. pneumoniae, P. vulgaris, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus were collected from December 2013 to May 2014 from patients coming to various clinical laboratories in Karachi, Pakistan. Mueller-Hinton agar and Mueller-Hinton broth were used for assessing the sensitivity patterns of the clinical isolates. The third generation cephalosporins tested against the clinical isolates were cefotaxime, ceftizoxime and ceftriaxone. Results: It was found that against E. coli, cefotaxime and ceftriaxone were 67% resistant whereas ceftizoxime was 79% resistant. The antibiotics were 100% resistant to Enterococcus. Against Klebsiella spp. resistance was 47% for cefotaxime and ceftriaxone and 73% for ceftizoxime. For Proteus spp., resistance for cefotaxime and ceftriaxone was 60% each and for ceftizoxime it was 80%. Ceftizoxime (91%), cefotaxime (73%) and ceftriaxone (64%) were resistant to P. aeruginosa while ceftriaxone 77%, ceftizoxime 58% and cefotaxime 50% were found resistant to S. aureus. Conclusions: The degree of third generation cephalosporins resistance was found being increased alarmingly and this should be monitored since it may give rise to drug resistant diseases amplifying the use of other drugs; treatment options for infections with multi-resistant micro organisms are limited.

Keywords: Antibiotic resistance, Cephalosporins, Ceftizoxime, Cefotaxime and Ceftriaxone.