@article{ajidm2013155,
author={{Ramana, K V and Kalaskar, Anand and Rao, Mohan and Rao, Sanjeev D},
title={Aetiology and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Lower Respiratory Tract Infections (LRTI¡¯s) in a Rural Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital at Karimnagar, South India},
journal={American Journal of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology},
volume={1},
number={5},
pages={101--105},
year={2013},
url={http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajidm/1/5/5},
abstract={Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI¡¯s) are amongst the most common causes of morbidity and mortality arising from infectious diseases both in the developed and developing nations. Prompt clinical and laboratory diagnosis along with appropriate treatment strategies would be helpful in the management of both community and nosocomially acquired LRTI¡¯s. The present study was aimed at evaluating the aetiology and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of LRTI¡¯s in a tertiary care teaching hospital in south India. The results revealed that among the samples tested 56 (52.83%) were positive for various bacteria, 6 (5.6%) were showing the growth of fungi and 44 (41.5%) were revealing no pathogens. <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> (45.1%) was the predominant Gram negative bacterial pathogen isolated followed by <i>Citrobacter freundii</i> (12.9%), <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> (9.6%), <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (9.6%) was the significant Gram positive bacterial pathogen followed by <i>Streptococcus</i> <i>pneumoniae</i> (5.6%). The antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of the isolated bacteria indicated the presence of multidrug resistance, Extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBL) (75%) and metallo-betalactamases/carbapenemases (MBL) (25%) among the Gram negative bacterial isolates whereas MRSA (16.6%) and VRSA (16%) among the Gram positive bacterial isolates. With varied geographical prevalence, and different antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, it becomes imperative to regularly evaluate the aetiology and antibiotic profiles of LRTI¡¯s and formulate regional guidelines that guide clinical, laboratory diagnosis and management of patients suffering from LRTI¡¯s.},
doi={10.12691/ajidm-1-5-5}
publisher={Science and Education Publishing}
}