Abstract

The spread of carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) poses a significant threat to public health. In Africa, data on carbapenem-resistant bacteria are poorly defined. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of carbapenemase genes among GNB isolated from patient samples at Angre University Hospital. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021 at the medical biology department, where carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli from various clinical specimens were collected. Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed using the Vitek automated system, and potential carbapenemase-producing GNB were confirmed by simplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Data were analyzed using EPI info 7 software. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant bacteria (CR) was found to be 8.94% (16/179). Among these, 12 (75%) produced at least one carbapenemase gene, with the OXA-48 gene being predominant, followed by NDM in 25% (4/16) and 18.75% (3/16), respectively. The predominant species were Klebsiella pneumoniae (50%, 8/16) and Escherichia coli (25%, 4/16). CR bacteria were also resistant to gentamicin (81.25%), amikacin (31.25%), ciprofloxacin (62.50%), and levofloxacin (68.75%). The multidrug resistance rate was 75% (12/16). Detection of these highly resistant bacteria should be implemented routinely, as this will effectively contribute to strategies for combating antimicrobial resistance.

Key words: Gram-negative bacilli, carbapenemase, polymerase chain reaction, Abidjan.