In Vitro Sensitivity of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa to Piperacillin, Azlocillin, Imipenem and Meropenem

Abstract

This study was conducted in Khartoum State during the period from November 2008 to April 2009 to evaluate the in vitro activity of relatively newly used anti-microbial agents (piperacillin, azlocillin, imipenem and meropenem) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates. Seventy )70) P. aeruginosa clinical isolates were collected from different hospitals in Khartoum State including Khartoum Teaching Hospital, Police Hospital and the National Health Laboratory. The isolates were confirmed by microscopic, cultural and biochemical testing. Their specimens included 30 urine specimens (42.9 %), 26 infected wound swabs (37.1 %) and 14 infected ear swabs (20 %). Fifty (50) of the patients were males (71.4 %), while 20 were females (28.6 %). Patients ages ranging from 1-75 years and 26 of them belonged to the age group 61-75 years (37.1i%). The most effective antibiotics against P. aeruginosa was imipenem which was effective against all isolates, followed by meropenem with rate of 97.1 %, piperacillin with efficacy rate of 74.3 % and the least effective one was azlocillin with efficacy rate of 70 %. These results indicated that imipenem was better than meropenem in carbapenems β-lactam antibiotics and piperacillin was better than azlocillin in ureidopenicillins β-lactam antibiotics. Carbapenems β-lactam antibiotics were found significantly (P=0.01) more effective than ureidopenicillins β-lactam antibiotics against P. aeruginosa, with mean activity of 98.6 % and 72.2 %, respectively. While there was no multi-drug resistant P. aeruginosa (MDRPA) isolated in this study, there were 47 (67 %) of the isolates sensitive to all antimicrobials used and 18 (26 %) of them were sensitive only to carbapenem antibiotics.