METALLO-BETA-LACTAMASE PRODUCING PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA IN NEONATAL SEPTICEMIA

The emergence, selective multiplication & dissemination of antibacterial resistance is a serious global problem. This study was conducted with the objective to examine the incidence of metallo-beta-lactamase (M beta L) producing strains among multidrug resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa from the suspected cases of neonatal sepsis between January 2011 -December 2013. A total of 994 cases admitted with the suspicion of neonatal sepsis were investigated. 295 (29.7%) isolates were obtained from the blood cultures of neonates. The isolates were identified and tested for the susceptibility to various antimicrobial agents. Pseudomonas aeruginosa with 116 (48.3%) isolation among 240 Gram negative isolates, was the predominant pathogen in our study. All the 74 (63.8%) multidrug resistant P. aeruginosa isolates were screened initially for Imipenem resistance, which were further tested for the presence of M beta L by Imipenem-ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) disc method. M beta L production was seen in 20 (71.4%) of the 28 Imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. M beta L producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa has emerged as a potential threat in cases of neonatal septicemia and poses great therapeutic challenge for physicians treating such infections.