Background: Hospital acquired infection is defined as an infection acquired in hospital by a case who has been admitted for a reason other than that infection.
Aim: To discuss bacteriological characters, genetic structure, detection methods, and risk factors for mortality in methicillin-resistant staphylococci and extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing organisms to evaluate and manage hospital-acquired infections.
Patients and methods: This investigation has been performed on 100 cases suffering from infection, which wasn't present at the admission time to Al-Ahrar Teaching Hospital and not manifested in the first 48 hours of hospitalization i.e., nosocomial infection.
Results: A MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) value of ≤8 indicated sensitivity to the antimicrobial agent, values between 9 and 31 represented intermediate resistance, and a MIC value of ≥32 signified resistance. This classification helped in determining the effectiveness of the antimicrobial agent against specific bacterial strains. From the 78 potentially ESBL producer isolates by the screening tests, confirmed ESBL has been detected in 62.8% (n=49) and 37.2% (n=29) were ESBL negative. The ESBL producer isolates were distributed as Proteus spp. (66.7%), Klebsiella spp. (66.7%), E. coli (52%), Pseudomonas spp. (71.42%), and Acinetobacter baumannii (60%).
Conclusion: High nosocomial infections in ICUs are caused by ESBL and MRSA, primarily due to excessive antibiotic use. These bacteria's resistance patterns provide valuable antimicrobial surveillance data, enabling restrictions on β-lactams. Combating antibiotic resistance requires surveillance, prudent antibiotic use, infection control, new antibiotic development, and phage therapy.