Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of clinical isolates of Citrobacter spp. at a tertiary care hospital in Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

Background & Aims: Citrobacter, a member of the Enterobacteriaceae family known to be a normal intestinal flora and an opportunistic pathogen is now increasingly found to cause a variety of infections in community as well as hospital settings. It was initially considered a low virulence pathogen but is now found to cause multi-drug resistant infections with high morbidity and mortality. To determine the prevalence of infections caused by Citrobacter spp. and theirAntibiotic sensitivity pattern. Material & Methods: A Laboratory records-based Cross-sectional study was undertaken retrospectively wherein the laboratory data about 50 Citrobacter spp. isolates obtained from 1628 clinical samples processed over 18 months were retrieved and analyzed at Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College-Datia, Central India in January 2024. Result: Out of the 1628 samples processed, significant bacterial growth was reported in 770 samples out of which 50 were found to be positive for Citrobacter spp. (6.4%). Isolation rate for Citrobacter spp. was reported to be 3.1 %.The majority of isolates were obtained from Urine (49%) and pus (45%) samples with C. koseri being dominant in urine and C. freundii in pus. Amongst these isolates, 52% were C.koseri, 46% were C.freundii and 4% were other species. Conclusion: The findings of the study conducted in January 2024 at Datia (Madhya Pradesh) indicate a change in susceptibility trends of emerging pathogens like Citrobacter spp. exhibiting resistance to routinely prescribed antimicrobials, stressing the need for an appropriate action plan involving periodic surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship, and strict implementation of infection control practices.

Keywords

• citrobacter spp.
• clinical isolates
• antimicrobial susceptibility pattern
• samples