Antimicrobial Resistance: A Growing Concern in Microbiology and Biotechnology

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing concern for the effective treatment of infections and public health globally, especially in healthcare institutions under high antibiotic pressure. This study was conducted to describe the frequency of antimicrobial resistance among major clinical bacterial pathogens and to identify predictors of multidrug resistance (MDR). All 240 non-repeated bacterial isolates, including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus, were tested using standard antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Among the five agents, 50.8% were MDR. Among the Enterobacterales, 49·0% of isolates and among Gram-negative bacilli, 15·7% were extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers and non-susceptible to carbapenems, respectively. Thirty percent (30.2%) of S. aureus isolates were Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). MDR rates differed significantly by bacterial species, with P. aeruginosa showing the highest proportion (64.0%). MDR in isolates from intensive care units was significantly higher than in non-ICU units (66.0% vs 46.5%), and prior antibiotic exposure over 90 days was strongly associated with MDR (60.4% vs 42.6%). Using multivariable logistic regression, prior antibiotic use was independently associated with MDR (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.15–3.51). These results emphasize the significant contribution of antimicrobial resistance and stress the importance of antibiotic stewardship, ongoing epidemiological monitoring, and combined microbiological- and biotechnologically based strategies in controlling the growing burden of AMR.