Sepsis in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Eastern India: From the Desk of Microbiologists

Objective: Identification and resistotyping of aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria and fungus causing sepsis. Methods: The study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Eastern India from 1st August 2014 to 31st January 2015with clinically suspected sepsis patients. Neonatal sepsis screening was done as per standard clinical guidelines. Specimens were collected, transported and processed for microbiological work up as per specified scheme using BACT ALERT 3D & VITEK-2 AES. Data were analysed according to standard statistical methods. Results: Total 96 samples for blood culture were received from clinically suspected patients. Of these, 25 were culture positive (26.04%). Isolated organisms included 13 Gram positive cocci, 8 Gram negative bacilli, 4 non albicans Candida. Gram positive cocci were more frequently isolated than Gram negative bacilli (52%). 5 out of 11 samples from Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) were found to be culture positive(45.4%). Isolated organisms from NICU included 2 Candida spp., 2 Escherichia coli &1 Methicliin resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA. Majority of the isolated Gram positive Coccci were Staphylococcus aureus (69.23%). Most of the isolated Staphylococcus were Methicillin resistant (7 out of 13 i.e, 53.84%). Among Gram negative isolates, Non-Enterobacteriaceae were predominant (62.5%), whereas, all three isolated Enterobacteriaceae were Escherichia coli. Half of the Gram negative isolates were Carbapenemase producer and 6 out of 8 (75%) Gram negative isolates were resistant to Fluoroquinolones. One Acinetobacter isolate was susceptible to Imipenem but resistant to Meropenem. Conclusion: On the verge of emergence of multidrug resistant pathogens, decision regarding empirical treatment of septicaemia must be based on knowledge of distribution of pathogens and their resistotype