What question did this study set out to answer?

To assess the prevalence of bacteremia and analyze antimicrobial resistance profiles based on blood cultures.

February 5, 2026Open Access

Prevalence of bacteremia and antimicrobial resistance profile in patients in South Morocco

Key Points

To assess the prevalence of bacteremia and analyze antimicrobial resistance profiles based on blood cultures.
Conducted a retrospective descriptive study over three years at a military hospital.
Analyzed 1,480 blood cultures for positive results and identified bacterial strains.
Examined antibiotic resistance patterns of isolated strains.
9.6% of blood cultures were positive for bacteremia.
Most common pathogens included Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella spp.
38.3% of isolates were ESBL-producing strains with significant resistance to multiple antibiotics.

Abstract

Bacteremia is a major cause of hospital morbidity and mortality. Effective management depends on up-to-date knowledge of the bacteriological profile and antibiotic resistance. This retrospective descriptive study, carried out over three years (2022-2024) at the Avicenne Military Hospital in Marrakech, analyzed strains isolated from positive blood cultures. Of 1,480 blood cultures received, 142 (9.6%) were actually positive. Analysis revealed a predominance of Staphylococcus aureus (21.3%), followed by Escherichia coli (13.9%), Klebsiella spp (12.7%), and Acinetobacter baumannii (9.3%). Enterobacteriaceae accounted for 41.78% of isolates, with a high proportion of ESBL strains (38.3%) and 2.8% of carbapenemase-producing strains. The highest rates of resistance were to amoxicillin (78.5%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (61%), and fluoroquinolones (43.3%). A. baumannii showed a worrying multi-resistance profile, with exclusive sensitivity to colistin. These results underline the importance of microbiological surveillance and rationalization of antibiotic therapy.

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