Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of bacterial isolates from patients with cystic fibrosis cases: a cross-sectional study

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a severely progressive genetic disorder which is characterized by chronic pulmonary infections, often due to opportunistic bacterial colonization. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among these pathogens shows a significant therapeutic challenge, particularly in lower middle-income countries like Bangladesh. Objective: To assess the antimicrobial resistance patterns of bacterial isolates from the pediatric CF patients visited in a tertiary care hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 65 children aged between 2 months to 18 years with at least one inclusion criteria of CF. Specimens, including sputum and posterior pharyngeal swabs, were collected and cultured to identify bacterial pathogens. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method in accordance with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results: A total of 65 bacterial isolates were collected and tested. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most frequently isolated organism (35.4%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (23.1%), E. coli (18.5%), Acinetobacter spp. (7.7%) and Staphylococcus aureus (15.4%). Conclusion: The detection of P. aeruginosa and E. coli showed that antimicrobial resistance should be kept under surveillance so that the treatment can be improved for patients with CF.