Multidrug resistant ventilator associated pneumonia: A persistent and dreaded complication in Indian tertiary care hospitals

Abstract

: Like any other Device associated infection, Ventilator Associated Pneumonia also poses a great threat to public health. This study aims to know the prevalence rate of VAP and study the drug resistance pattern of its causative agents. : A prospective, observational study involving 480 patients was conducted over a period of twelve months to calculate the prevalance of VAP amongst the intubated patients and to isolate the causative organisms with their resistance patterns for antibiotics. : Among the 480 patients on mechanical ventilation included in this study, sixty patients developed VAP. This amounted to a VAP rate of 31.25 per 1000 ventilator days. Culture yielded Gram negative organisms in 51 samples and Gram positive cocci in 9, majority of which were multi drug resistant organism by the virtue of producing ESBL, AmpC and MBL enzymes. : Identifying VAP and the MDR organisms causing it and formulating a tailored antibiotic therapy is very imperative for the timely treatment and reduction in morbidity and mortality caused by VAP.