A prospective Study on Incidence, Etiology, and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of Central Line-associated Bloodstream Infection Causing Isolates in a Tertiary Care Institute in North-western India

A BSTRACT Background: One of the most prevalent types of healthcare-associated infections is central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), which occurs when pathogens enter the bloodstream through a central venous catheter. It is usually associated with multidrug-resistant organisms, which are challenging to treat and often lead to poor clinical outcomes. Selection of an appropriate antibiotic is crucial, as inappropriate use could contribute to an alarming rise in antimicrobial resistance. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective observational study conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Rajasthan. All patients admitted to the medicine intensive care unit fulfilling the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s defined criteria of CLABSI were included in the study. Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of pathogens was done using the VITEK-2system. Results: Among 228 patients with a central line in place, CLABSI was reported in 19 (8.33%). The CLABSI rate was 9.4 per 1000 central line days. Of these 19, the majority were Gram-negative bacilli (14, 73.6%), with Klebsiella pneumonia (7, 36.8%) being the predominant one. Among Gram-positive cocci (3, 15.7%), coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (2, 10.5%) predominated over Staphylococcus aureus (1, 5.2%). Conclusion: The CLABSI rate at our institution was 9.4 per 1000 central line days. Gram-negative organisms predominated. This data is important to assess the magnitude of the problem and for effective institution of bundle care measures, thereby minimizing the incidence of CLABSI.