Microbial pattern and antimicrobial resistance, a surgeon's perspective: retrospective study in surgical wards and seven intensive-care units in two university hospitals in Cairo, Egypt.
OBJECTIVE
Significant morbidity and mortality in surgical practice is due to infection with resistant pathogens. Data from Egyptian hospitals may reflect a peculiar pattern.


METHODS
Retrospective study of antimicrobial susceptibility of 1,064 isolates from patients in surgical zones and intensive-care units (ICUs) in the largest 2 hospitals in Cairo in 2003.


RESULTS
The infection rate in surgical wards was 0.41%, mostly surgical site infections. Cardiothoracic wards showed higher rates (0.52%). In ICUs, the infection rate was 6.51%, the majority were respiratory. The highest resistance rate was shown by Staphylococcus aureus (23.8%), Pseudomonas (14.9%) and Escherichia coli (10.48%). Enterococci and Citrobacter had rates below 1%. Pseudomonas aeruginosa had the highest resistance rate with third-generation cephalosporins (Cef3) and the lowest with imipenem, while for Enterobacter and Klebsiella it was highest with Cef3 and lowest with imipenem. E. coli showed the highest rate with quinolone 2 and Cef3, but there was no resistance to imipenem. Acinetobacter demonstrated the highest resistance rate with quinolone 2 and the lowest with fourth-generation cephalosporins (Cef4), while for methicillin-resistant S. aureus it was 60%. All enterococci were sensitive to vancomycin.


CONCLUSIONS
The study provides meaningful data on a high antimicrobial resistance in Egypt. Failure of hospital hygiene and overuse of antibiotics are considered responsible.
Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. gamal44@hotmail.com
Gamal Moustafa
GM
Saied
D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification