EC Microbiology

One of the biggest causes of patient morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenses worldwide is healthcare-associated infection (HAI). These infections, which are frequently brought on by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), make treatment more difficult and put infection control initiatives to the test. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as one of the top ten worldwide public health problems due to the fast increase in AMR in recent years.

To guide empirical antibiotic therapy and infection control efforts, this study will analyze and assess the 2024 antibiogram data from Wadi Aldawasir General Hospital in Saudi Arabia. throughout 150 clinical isolates, including both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria as well as fungal species, were processed by the hospital's microbiology lab throughout the year. Using the VITEK 2 automated system and manual Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion techniques, antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out in accordance with CLSI recommendations.

Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most common isolates. Alarmingly high rates of resistance were found by analysis: 91% of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and over 88% of E. coli isolates produced ESBL. Of the S. aureus isolates, 58% were methicillin-resistant (MRSA), and all P. aeruginosa isolates were categorized as multidrug-resistant. However, *Candida albicans* showed greater than 98% susceptibility to every antifungal drug that was evaluated.

Our results highlight how important antibiograms are for developing hospital-specific antibiotic stewardship guidelines, maximizing empirical treatment, and spotting high-risk resistance trends in medical environments. In order to prevent the spread of HAIs and guarantee the safe and efficient use of antibiotics, this study advocates for the inclusion of yearly antibiogram reviews as a standard component of infection control programs.

Keywords: Antibiogram; Diseases Linked to Healthcare; Immunity to Antibiotics; MDR; MRSA; ESBL; Infection Control; Empirical Treatment; stewardship; Saudi Arabia

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