Prevalence of carbapenemase-producing organisms among patients admitted to intensive care unit in a tertiary hospital in Benin city, Nigeria

Aim: The study aimed to determine the prevalence of carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPOs) causing clinical infections among intensive care unit (ICU) patients at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, Nigeria. Methods: Gram negative bacterial isolates recovered from clinical specimens of patients admitted at the ICU of the hospital during the study period were identified using Microbact 20E and antimicrobial susceptibility tests carried out. Carbapenem resistant isolates were thereafter screened phenotypically for carbapenemase production, CPOs were subsequently screened using PCR for the following genes; NDM, VIM, KPC and OXA-48-like. Results: A total of 64 clinical specimens were received during the study period. Of this number, 26 (40.6%) were culture positive for Enterobacterales (21.9%) and non-fermenters (18.8%). Amikacin showed the best susceptibility profile with 81.5% overall activity against all isolates, the carbapenems showed moderate activity with 66.7% while the third generation cephalosporins were poorly active (37%) against all bacterial isolates. Carbapenemase activity was observed in 9 isolates (14.1%), one isolate of E. cloacae was VIM positive while 62.5% and 25% of CP-P. aeruginosa were NDM and VIM positive respectively. Conclusion: Carbapenemase-producing-P. aeruginosa was the leading cause of infections among ICU patients in Benin City, Nigeria. There is therefore need for surveillance, IPC measures and adherence of antimicrobial stewardship guidelines at institutional and national levels.