Abstract

Multi-drug resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae has been associated with different types of infections and the most important aspect is the emergence of MDR strains particularly in hospitalized children. They have the proficiency to cause bacteremia, septicemia and urinary tract infections (UTI). The objective of this study was to determine the susceptibility of MDR K. pneumoniae causing UTI in children. One thousand and fifteen (1015) urine samples were collected aseptically. Specimens were cultured on blood agar, MacConkey agar and cysteine lactose electrolyte deficient (CLED) agar. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method as per CLSI 2011 guidelines. Of the 1015 urine specimens, 230 (22.6%) were positive for bacterial growth. Out of these positive cultures predominantly Gram-negative rods (90%) were isolated and major pathogens were K. pneumoniae (40%) and Escherichia coli (33%). Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of K. pneumoniae showed that more than 70% of these pathogens were resistant to cephalosporins, 69% to ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and 63% to norfloxacin and nalidixic acid while most effective drugs were pipracillin-tazobactam and meropenem. This study concludes that MDR-K. pneumoniae is a great threat particularly in children in our locality.

Key words: Multi-drug resistant (MDR), Klebsiella pneumoniae, children, antimicrobial resistance (AMR).