Abstract

Objectives: The objectives of this study are to identify the isolates by means of different identification tests, to assess the infection frequency of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, biofilm formation ability and antibiotic susceptibility of biofilm forming isolates.

Study Design: Cross-sectional/Observational study.

Place and Duration: Conducted at Microbiology Laboratory, Gujranwala Medical College / D.H.Q Teaching Hospital Gujranwala Pathology Lab from August 2020 to October 2020.

Methodology: A total of 250 urinary catheter tip samples were collected from patients admitted in ICU/CCU. This study includes the methodology in which the study organism was inoculated and confirmed by standard microbiological methods including culture inoculation, Gram staining, biochemical tests, biofilm formation test, antibiotic sensitivity. Qualitative method has been used to see biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. 10 different CLSI recommended necessary disc of antibiotics were used to observe the sensitivity and resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method.

Results: There were 170 (68%) male patients and 80 (32%) female patients. Majority of patients 160 (64%) were between 46 to 66 years of age. 72 samples were confirmed by morphological confirmation, biochemical tests and microscopic analysis with those of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. From 72 confirmed isolates of P. aeruginosa, 18 show strong biofilm formation, 26 show weak biofilm formation and 28 show no biofilm formation which is 25% ,36% and 38% respectively. The total number of biofilm forming Pseudomonas aeruginosa are 44 out of 72 confirmed isolates which are 61.1% respectively. Out of 44 biofilm forming P. aeruginosa isolates 35 shows multi drug resistance (MDR) which are 79% respectively. Out of 10 drugs that were used Polymyxin and Imipenem were found to be most sensitive against P. aeruginosa while Ciprofloxacin and Nitrofurantoin were found to be most resistant against P. aeruginosa.

Conclusion: This study shows that the higher percentage of extracted organism show biofilm formation and from these biofilm forming isolates maximum show multi-drug resistance. Further advances in the prevention of nosocomial infections will require new approaches to infection control. The growing evidence on the ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to form biofilms, mainly on medical devices, and recent data supporting the correlation of this behavior with the acquisition of antibiotic resistance should alert even more to the risk of this pathogen in the hospital setting.

Keywords: P. aeruginosa, Biofilm formation, Antibiotic susceptibility, Multi-drug resistance, Urinary catheter tips.