Antimicrobial resistance pattern in ventilator—associated pneumonia in an intensive care unit of Babol, northern Iran

Objective: To investigate antibiotic resistance pattern of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) generating microorganisms, and quantitative culture and determining antibiotic sensitivity. Methods: This cross sectional study was performed on 50 patients suffering from VAP in intensive care unit of Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol, Iran during 2014–2015. VAP was probable for them based on clinical signs and the criteria of Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score standards. Lower respiratory samples were given under bronchoalveolar lavage and quantitative culture was done on them. Afterwards by microdilution method, minimal inhibitory concentration based on respective microorganisms, considering clinical pulmonary infection score were determined. Results: From 50 investigated samples in this study, the most common microorganisms were Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) (70%) then Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12%), Staphylococcus aureus (8%) and Klebsiella pneumonia (3%). In our study A. baumannii showed approximate 100% resistance to all antibiotics, in a way that A. baumannii resistance to imipenem and meropenem and piperacillin/tazobactam each was 97.1%. The most resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 66.7% to each cefepime and ceftazidime and clavulanate/ticarcillin. Staphylococcus aureus showed 75% resistance to nafcillin, cloxacillin and resistance in case of vancomycin was not seen. Conclusion: In current study, A. baumannii had the most prevalence among VAP and this species is resistant to most of antibiotics. Using ceftazidime, cefepime and clavulanate/ticarcillin, in treatment of the patients suffering VAP is not reasonable.