Shamim Mumtaz, Mumtaz Ahmad, Irum Aftab, Naeem Akhtar, Abdul Hameed.
Frequency of Extended-Spectrum -Lactamases (ESBLs) and Blood Stream Infections.
Infect Dis J Jan ;17(2):48-51.

Objective: To determine the frequency and distribution of ESBLs - producing Enteric Gram- negative rods (EGNRs) in blood stream infections. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted during 04/ 2004-03 /2006 at the Microbiology department of Fauji Foundation Hospital , Rawalpindi . ESBL production was studied in Enteric Gramnegative rods isolated from blood samples by the help of double disc diffusion technique. Results: Out of 46 EGNRs 15 each were Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (32.6%) , 8 were Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.3%) , 4 were Aeromonas spp (8.69%), 3 were Enterobactor spp (6.52%) and only one was Citrobactor spp (2.17%). Prevalence of ESBLs-production was 32.6% (15out of 46). The most prevalent ESBLs -positive EGNR was E. coli n=8 (53.3%), followed by K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, Aeromonas spp no=2 each (13.3%) & Enterobactor spp n=01 (6.66%). Escherichia coli showed the highest frequency of positivity (53.3%), followed by Aeromonas (50%) , Enterobactor spp ( 33.3%), Klebsiella pneumoniae( 25%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13.3%) . Conclusions: It is important to screen for ESBL production routinely by all the laboratories, as administration of 3rd generation cephalosporins and aztreonam in an infection with ESBLproducer would not only be ineffective but would also further promote ESBL production, leading to increasing resistance.

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