title: Childhood septicemia in Nepal: documenting the bacterial etiology and its susceptibility to antibiotics.
abstract: Introduction. Children are among the most vulnerable population groups to contract illnesses. The varying microbiological pattern of septicemia warrants the need for an ongoing review of the causative organisms and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern. Therefore, the objective of this study was to document the bacterial etiology of childhood septicemia and its antibiotic susceptibility profile. Methods. Cross-sectional type of study in 1630 suspected patients was conducted at CMCTH from January 2012 to December 2013. Blood samples were collected aseptically for culture. The organisms grown were identified by standard microbiological methods recommended by American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing by modified Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Methicillin resistance was confirmed using cefoxitin and oxacillin disks methods. Results. Septicemia was detected in 172 (10.6%) cases. Among Gram-positive organisms, coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) were leading pathogen and Acinetobacter spp. were leading pathogen among Gram-negative isolates. Vancomycin, teicoplanin, and clindamycin were the most effective antibiotics against Gram-positive isolates while amikacin was effective against Gram-positive as well as Gram-negative isolates. Methicillin resistance was detected in 44.4% of Staphylococcus aureus. Conclusions. This study has highlighted the burden of bacterial etiology for septicemia among children in a tertiary care center of central Nepal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Shamshul
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1846-1377
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Hari Prasad
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Nepal
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Rajendra
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8980-5459
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gautam
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Sony
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2606-4742
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Puja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neopane
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Brihaspati
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rimal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Fuleshwar
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.affiliation: Asian College for Advance Studies, Satdobato, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: Safiur Rahman
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal.
authors.forename: Moti Lal
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Chapagain