The Usage of Antibiotics by COVID-19 Patients with Comorbidities: The Risk of Increased Antimicrobial Resistance
Basit Zeshan,
Mohmed Isaqali Karobari,
Nadia Afzal,
Amer Siddiq,
Sakeenabi Basha,
Syed Nahid Basheer,
Syed Wali Peeran,
Mohammed Mustafa,
Nur Hardy A. Daud,
Naveed Ahmed,
Chan Yean Yean,
Tahir Yusuf Noorani
Affiliations
Basit Zeshan
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 540000, Pakistan
Mohmed Isaqali Karobari
Conservative Dentistry Unit, School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
Nadia Afzal
Basic Health Unit Hospital (BHU) Mora, Tehsil and District Nankana Sahib, Nankana Sahib 39100, Pakistan
Amer Siddiq
Faculty of Medicine, Riphah International University, Islamabad 46000, Pakistan
Sakeenabi Basha
Department of Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
Syed Nahid Basheer
Department of Restorative Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
Syed Wali Peeran
Department of Periodontics, Armed Forces Hospital Jizan, Jazan 82722, Saudi Arabia
Mohammed Mustafa
Department of Conservative Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 173, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
Nur Hardy A. Daud
Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Sandakan Campus, Locked Bag No.3, Sandakan 90509, Sabah, Malaysia
Naveed Ahmed
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 540000, Pakistan
Chan Yean Yean
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
Tahir Yusuf Noorani
Conservative Dentistry Unit, School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health issue that plays a significant role in morbidity and mortality, especially in immunocompromised patients. It also becomes a serious threat to the successful treatment of many bacterial infections. The widespread and irrelevant use of antibiotics in hospitals and local clinics is the leading cause of AMR. Under this scenario, the study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Lahore, Pakistan, from 2 August 2021 to 31 October 2021 to discover the prevalence of bacterial infections and AMR rates in COVID-19 patients admitted in surgical intensive care units (SICUs). Clinical samples were collected from the patients and we proceeded to identify bacterial isolates, followed by antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) using the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The data of other comorbidities were also collected from the patient’s medical record. The current study showed that the most common pathogens were E. coli (32%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (17%). Most E. coli were resistant to ciprofloxacin (16.8%) and ampicillin (19.8%). Klebsiella pneumoniae were more resistant to ampicillin (13.3%) and amoxycillin (12.0%). The most common comorbidity was chronic kidney disease (CKD) and urinary tract infections (UTIs). Around 17 different types of antibiotic, the carbapenem, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycoside, and quinolones, were highly prevalent in ICU patients. The current study provides valuable data on the clinical implication of antibiotics consumed by COVID-19 patients in SICUs and the AMR rates, especially with different comorbidities.
