This retrospective analysis shows rising antimicrobial resistance in Gram-negative pathogens during COVID-19, highlighting the need for targeted surveillance and stewardship.
Key Points
To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on antimicrobial resistance trends in a tertiary care hospital.
Conducted a retrospective observational study analyzing AMR data from 2015 to 2024.
Collected data from invasive bacterial isolates at the University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska.
Assessed correlations between antibiotic utilization and resistance patterns.
4718 invasive bacterial isolates were analyzed, with Acinetobacter spp. and K. pneumoniae being the most prevalent.
A significant increase in invasive isolates for K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter spp. was noted during COVID-19.
Multidrug resistance rates were alarmingly high, especially in Acinetobacter spp. (97% during COVID-19).