Infection and Drug Resistance (Oct 2020)
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern and Associated Factors of Pediatric Septicemia in Southern Ethiopia
Abstract
Gemechu Ameya,1 Temesgen Weldemedhin,2 Tsegaye Tsalla,3 Feleke Gebremeskel4 1Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Kotebe Metropolitan University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; 2Department of Public Health, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia; 3Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia; 4School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Gemechu AmeyaDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Kotebe Metropolitan University, P.O. Box: 3268, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaTel +251-91-783-7681Email [email protected]: Septicemia is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients throughout the world. Drug-resistant pathogens are one of the major challenges to control. The study aimed to identify the major etiological agents, antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and associated factors of septicemia among pediatric patients in southern Ethiopia.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on pediatric patients. Blood samples were cultured and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion techniques. Data were collected by pre-tested questionnaire to identify potential associated factors of septicemia. A bivariate logistic regression analysis was used and adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI at ≤ 0.05 level of significance was computed to determine the presence and strength of the association.Results: Of 238 participants, 27 (11.3%) of them had a positive blood culture. Staphylococcus aureus (32.2%), coagulase negative Staphylococci (25%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (14.3%) were the predominant isolates. The isolated bacteria showed high rates of resistance to amoxicillin, ceftriaxone, streptomycin and ampicillin. Multi-drug resistance (MDR) was observed in 82.1% of the isolates. Being infant [AOR=4.18, 95% CI, (1.3– 13.0)], admission > 10 days [AOR=5.54, 95% CI, (1.51– 20.41)], burn [AOR=3.55, 95% CI, (1.02– 12.38)] and wound cases [AOR=5.52, 95% CI, (1.50– 20.34)] were associated with pediatric septicemia.Conclusion: Gram positive bacteria were the predominant isolates and majority of isolates were MDR pathogens. Very young age, prolonged hospital stays, burn and wound cases were associated with pediatric septicemia. Establishing antibiotic stewardship is mandatory to minimize the high prevalence of drug resistance.Keywords: antimicrobial susceptibility, multi-drug resistance, pediatric, septicemia
