Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa at Kenyatta National Hospital

This cross-sectional study was designed to determine the prevalence of multidrug resistance P. aeruginosa in Kenyatta National Hospital. Recruitment of patients and bacterial isolation was done in the period between August 2015 to January 2016. Aspirates, blood, urine and pus swab samples were obtained from patients in the critical care unit, new-born unit, renal unit and medical wards. A total of 188 non-duplicate P. aeruginosa isolates were recovered. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing on 13 drugs was done using Kirby technique. P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and E. coli ATCC 25922 were used for quality control of all susceptibility testing. Our findings revealed that all the 188 isolates were multidrug resistant. Piperacillin-tazobactam (96%) was the most resisted antimicrobial while Ciprofloxacin (65.7%) was the most susceptible. High resistance to Carbapenem (Meropenem 54%) and &beta-lactams (CAZ 63.1%, CTX 82%, CRO 79.7%, CAR 70.1% and ATM 54%) was uncovered. Notably, P. aeruginosa isolates recovered from Critical Care Unit (73.4%) were the most resistant.