Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of Carbapenemase Producing Gram-Negative Bacterial Isolates

Carbapenems are usually the antimicrobials of choice for the treatment of MDR Gram-negative bacteria. The present study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of carbapenemase producing Gram-negative bacterial isolates from various clinical samples in Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai during May 2012 to August 2013. Out of the 200 samples from various wards, 96 Gram-negative bacilli were isolated from 83 (41.5%) samples. The prevalence of carbapenemase producers in this study was found to be 15.63% as detected by MHT and CDT. Among the carbapenemase producers, K. pneumonia (60%) was found to be predominant followed by E. coli (26.66%) and Pseudomonas spp. (13.33%). Out of the carbapenemase producers screened for NDM-1 by PCR, only a single isolate (6.66%) was found to possess bl a N o M- 1 gene. The rate of carbapenemase producers was found to be relatively higher in ICU. The present study informed that the emergence of antibiotics resistance.