Antibiotic resistance pattern of aerobic bacterial isolates from patients with skin and soft tissue infections in Karaikal

Skin and Soft Tissue Infections (SSTIs) are considered as non-fatal burden with significant morbidity and disability. The important challenge of severe SSTIs is choosing a drug for empirical treatment. From this region, only limited local antibiogram data is available. To determine the frequency of different aerobic bacteria isolated from patients with SSTIs attending dermatology and surgery departments of GH, Karaikal and to study the antibiotic resistance pattern of the isolates. This is a prospective, cross-sectional study with 100 samples. Standard protocol was followed for collection, processing, identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing. All isolates of and were screened for methicillin resistance and subsequently subjected to Oxacillin E-strip and Vancomycin E-strip to know the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value. Isolates of Gram negative bacilli resistant to one or more carbapenems were tested for carbapenemase production using Modified Carbapenem Inactivation Method (MCIM) and multi drug resistant (MDR) organisms were identified. Most effective antibiotic for methicillin sensitive (MSSA) are Clindamycin (82.75%), Gentamicin (80.95%) and Cotrimoxazole (75%). The methicillin resistant (MRSA) incidence is 6.89% (2/29). Around 66.67% (4/6) of was Cefoxitin resistant. The carbapenem resistance was found to be 13.88% (5/36). Around 43.13% (22/51) Gram negative bacilli were MDR. The presence of MRSA and carbapenemase producing Gram negative bacilli are worrisome. Further, routine surveillance is needed to monitor the trends in antibiotic resistant pattern. However, this data paves way for judicious use of antibiotics for treatment and to prevent development of resistance in future.