Characteristics and trends of antibiotic resistance in several gram-negative bacteria responsible for pneumonia in intensive care patients in Northern Vietnam, 2022-2024

Objectives

This study aimed to describe the features and trends in antibiotic resistance among gram-negative bacteria in pneumonia patients receiving intensive care in Northern Vietnam.

Methods

Specimens were obtained from 222 patients in 2022-2024 and thereafter used for bacterial identification and antibiotic tests.

Results

A total of 250 strains were identified from 222 specimens, including Acinetobacter baumannii (32.8%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (23.6%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (20.4%). Antibiotic sensitivity was higher in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) than in hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). In CAP, the antibiotic sensitivity of K. pneumoniae was 36.4-90.9%, P. aeruginosa was 22.2-44.4%, and A. baumannii was 0-33.3%. However, in HAP, sensitivity decreased to 15.0-47.5%, 5.6-20.0%, and 1.9-12.9%, respectively. Three gram-negative bacteria in CAP showed lower resistance than HAP. Antibiotic resistance trends for A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae were steady, whereas P. aeruginosa rose to 20.4% in 2023 and 7.6% in 2024.

Conclusions

Gram-negative bacteria were responsible for a significant proportion of pneumonia cases in intensive care patients. Antibiotic resistance in bacteria was lower in CAP than in HAP. The trend of developing antibiotic resistance in A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae remained stable, but P. aeruginosa rose from 2022 to 2024.