A surveillance study on the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance pattern among different groups of bacteria isolated from Western province of Saudi Arabia.

Objective: The epidemiological data from a given location are useful for antimicrobial therapy. This study was carried out to find new insight regarding the prevalence of drug resistance among pathogenic bacteria from Western region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: The antimicrobial resistance profiles were investigated in bacteria from various specimens like blood, skin, wound, stool, urine, and respiratory tract. In vitro susceptibilities were determined by VITEK 2 system using AST-GN69 and AST-GP67 cards for Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive respectively. Results: Among 877 E. coli isolates from urine, 48.6% were found resistant to SXT, 49.3% of 341 Klebsiella isolates were resistant to AMP. Eighty (59.3%) of Klebsiella isolates from respiratory secretions were resistant to AMP and Pipracillin. Of 244 Acinetobacter baumannii from respiratory sources 20.1% were resistant to SXT. Twenty seven (56.3%) E. coli and 31.1% Klebsiella from respiratory sources were positive for Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamases (ESBLs). Methicillin-resistance was observed in 50.3% S. aureus from miscellaneous cultures whereas 35.9% were methicillin resistant among respiratory isolates. Conclusion: The study provides the information regarding the drug resistance patterns in Escherichia coli, Klebsiella and other bacterial pathogens from Western Region of Saudi Arabia. The study is significant in terms of prevalence of ESBL positive and methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates in the western region of Saudi Arabia.