Changing trends in antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of bacterial isolates in a burn unit.

INTRODUCTION: Emerging antimicrobial resistance in nosocomial bacterial isolates, limits the available treatment options for burn wound infections, among them multi-drug resistant Gram negative bacteria and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are major contributors to the increase in morbidity and mortality rates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was done in the Department of Microbiology, University College of Medical Sciences & Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Delhi. A total of 818 wound samples from patients admitted in the burn wards and Intensive Care Units (ICUs) examined between 2010-2014 (5 years period). Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found as the most common isolate (37%) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (15%) and Acinetobacter baumanii (12%) among Gram negative organisms while S. aureus (12%) remained the major isolates among Gram positive organisms. A significant decrease in incidence of Gram positive organisms was observed in comparison with previous study. However, resistance to ceftazidime and aminoglycosides were increased significantly in Gram negative organisms. Multi-drug resistant P. aeruginosa (MDR PA) accounted for 15.2%, multi-drug resistant A. baumanii (MDR AB) was prevalent in 13.8% and MRSA in 77.4% of burn wound infections. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Emerging bacterial drug resistance has both clinical and financial implications for the therapy of infected burn patients. Spectrum of bacterial drug resistance in an institution is important for epidemiological as well as clinical purposes. Rising frequency of MDR strains in burn patients is alarming for clinicians as it downgrades the treatment efficacy.

Failure to decolonize mupirocin and linezolid resistant MRSA from a patient with necrotizing soft tissue infection.

Colonization with methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is considered to be a major risk factor for skin and soft tissue infections. We present a case of a patient suffering from necrotizing soft tissue infection and exposed to multiple antibiotics and developed colonization with linezolid resistant MRSA (LRMRSA). He could not be decolonized despite prolonged conventional or modified MRSA decolonization protocols.

Disseminated tuberculosis in a newborn infant.

Tuberculosis (TB) remaining as one of the deadliest communicable diseases. Congenital infection by vertical transmission is rare but high neonatal mortality (up to 60%) and morbidity warrant early and accurate diagnosis of newborns suffering from TB. Intrauterine infection of tuberculosis is most commonly caused by haematogenous spread from the mother causing placental seedling. The organisms reach the fetus via the umbilical vein and the primary focus is often in the fetal liver in hematgenous spread. Another route of infection is by direct ingestion or aspiration of infected amniotic fluid if the placental caseous lesion ruptures directly into the amniotic cavity. Transplacental infection occurs late in pregnancy and aspiration from amniotic fluid occurs in the perinatal period. We report here one case of disseminated tuberculosis in a new born infant.