Citrobacter infections in a tertiary care hospital in Northern India.
OBJECTIVE
This prospective study was carried out to look for the frequency of isolation of Citrobacter species from clinical specimens and study their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern.


METHODS
Patients from whom Citrobacter species were isolated during routine diagnostic testing from January to December 2004 were included in the study. Isolates were identified by standard biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion method as per National Committee of Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) guidelines.


RESULTS
Citrobacter species were isolated from a total of 205 patients. Infection was nosocomially acquired in 94.6% patients. One hundred eighty one (88.3%) patients had significant underlying illnesses. Culture yielded Citrobacter koseri in 185 (90.2%) and Citrobacter freundii in 20 (9.8%) patients. The distribution of isolates was as follows: urine (46.2%), respiratory tract (16.3%), blood (15.8%), pus (12.1%) and sterile body fluids (9.3%). Drug resistance was observed to be more in C. koseri as compared to C. freundii.


CONCLUSIONS
Citrobacter infections are often nosocomially acquired, seen in patients with significant underlying diseases and isolates are commonly drug-resistant. Adoption of hospital infection control practices and a good antibiotic policy may prevent their spread.
Mohanty
Srujana
S
Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India.
Singhal
Ritu
R
Sood
Seema
S
Dhawan
Benu
B
Kapil
Arti
A
Das
Bimal K
BK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016971:Citrobacter freundii / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D041041:Citrobacter koseri / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology*; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013492:Suppuration / Q000382:microbiology; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents