Antibiotic Resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Chronic Infection in Cystic Fibrosis Patients. A SingleCenter Long-Term Follow-Up

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the major bacterial pathogen associated with increased mortality and morbidity in cystic fibrosis patients. This study compared the antimicrobial susceptibilities of 56 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates collected from 28 Romanian pediatric patients over 15 years (2005-2020) and investigated the resistance to the usual antibiotics and the incidence of multidrug resistance Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The susceptibility rates to antimicrobials were as follows: Gentamicin 50%; Cefepime 53.6%; Ceftazidime 64.3%; Amikacin 67.9%; Ciprofloxacin 75%; Piperacillin 75%; Piperacillin-Tazobactam 82.1%; Meropenem 82.1% Levofloxacin 89.3%; Colistin 100%. Half of the patients gain antibiotic resistance during the study period. We noticed the most significant increase in antibiotic resistance for Ciprofloxacin, 14.3%, followed by Meropenem 10.8%, Ceftazidime 10.7%, and Piperacillin 10.7%. Multi-drug resistance Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were identified with a frequency of 25% of 56 samples. 28.5% of patients with multi-drug resistance Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were identified. Only one patient meets the criteria and can be classified as extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa , sensitive only to Colistin. New therapeutic strategies for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are an immediate necessity.