Abstract

MELGAREJO-TOUCHET, Nancy L. et al. Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of bacteria isolated from nosocomial and community-acquired infections (2023). Paraguayan Antimicrobial Resistance Laboratory Surveillance Network. Rev. Inst. Med. Trop. [online]. 2024, vol.19, n.2, pp.67-79. ISSN 1996-3696.  https://doi.org/10.18004/imt/2024.19.2.8.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious global threat that compromises the effectiveness of infection treatments, making early detection and continuous monitoring of emerging resistance mechanisms essential. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility of clinically significant bacteria isolated from nosocomial and community-acquired infections in Paraguay during 2023. Data from bacteriology laboratories participating in the Paraguayan National Laboratory Surveillance Network for AMR, submitted in WHONET format, were analyzed at the Antimicrobial Section of the Bacteriology and Mycology Department of the Central Public Health Laboratory. The results revealed high levels of antimicrobial resistance in isolates from both hospital-acquired and community-acquired bacterial infections. An alarming resistance profile to carbapenems (imipenem and meropenem) was observed in Acinetobacter baumannii (83.3% and 78.5%, respectively), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (35.1% and 31.2%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (37.4% and 37.9%). Methicillin resistance in community-acquired and hospital-acquired Staphylococcus aureus was 41.8% and 49.5%, respectively. The high levels of antimicrobial resistance found necessitate an immediate strengthening of epidemiological surveillance, the implementation of rigorous infection control measures in healthcare settings, and the optimization of antimicrobial use. A multisectoral approach is essential to address this public health issue effectively.

Keywords : bacterial infections; cross infection; antimicrobial drug resistance; Paraguay.

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