Antibiotic resistance in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Jamaica.
OBJECTIVE
To assess antibiotic resistance in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Jamaica, and to obtain baseline information on the presence of this important pathogen.


METHODS
A total of 51 isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, obtained from 162 clinical specimens from major hospitals and laboratories in seven parishes in Jamaica, were analyzed between May and August 2002. Isolates were tested against 18 different antibiotics by a disk diffusion method.


RESULTS
Organisms were cultured from wound swabs (56%), high vaginal swabs (10.5%) and ear swabs (42.5%). Overall, the highest percentage rates of resistance were found for cefaclor (100% of all isolates), nalidixic acid (82.4%), kanamycin (76.5%), and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (56.9%). Resistance rates were 25.5% or lower for tobramycin, gentamicin and polymyxin B, cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin, piperacillin, carbapenems and amikacin. Forty-one isolates showed intermediate sensitivity to most of the antipseudomonal antibiotics, and the remaining 10 isolates were resistant to eight or more antibiotics. The multiresistant isolates, most of which were hospital isolates, were all resistant to tetracycline, nalidixic acid and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and highly (80%-90%) resistant to kanamycin, ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin.


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms that antibiotic resistance in this clinical pathogen is emerging in Jamaica, and suggests that due care must be taken in hospital settings to adequately diagnose pseudomonal infections and prescribe the antibiotic treatment most effective in preventing the increase in multidrug resistant organisms.
Brown
Paul D
PD
Department of Basic Medical Sciences (Biochemistry Section), University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica. paul.brown@uwimona.edu.jm
Izundu
Anicetus
A
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents