Antimicrobial resistance of bacterial isolates from the clinical and hospital environment in Gaza Strip, Palestine: A review over 20-year

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is a serious threatening problem worldwide, associated with high morbidity and mortality. The dissemination and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is influenced by several factors like inappropriate and unwise use of antibiotics as well as the un-regulated discharge of these antibiotics to the environment. A critical high rates of pathogenic bacteria isolates in Palestine are showing multiple drug resistance patterns. This fact will complicate treatment of patients suffering from bacterial infections. Method: The study performed a review of most published articles on antibiotic resistant bacteria isolates from patients and hospital environment in Gaza strip/Palestine over the period 2002-2021 using Google scholar, Research gate, and PubMed search engines. Results: Out of the 51 articles screened, 29 studies were met the eligibility criteria to be included in this review. The overall results of these studies have shown a high rates of multidrug-resistant gramnegative bacteria especially E. coli, Enterobacter spp., Kebsiella spp., Acinetobacter spp. and Pseudomonas aerugineosa over the study period. Also, vancomycin-resistant enterococci and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were also commonly reported among Gram-positive bacteria. Conclusions: The high occurrence rates of multidrug resistant bacteria isolates from patients and hospital environment in Gaza/Palestine is alarming. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a local plan for containment of antimicrobial resistance by implement antimicrobial stewardship. Antimicrobial resistance of bacterial isolates from the clinical and hospital environment in Gaza Strip, Palestine: A review over 20-year Abdelraouf A. Elmanama1, Noor E. S. Abu Tayyem1, Isabella Sjölander2 1 Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences Faculty of Health Sciences Islamic University of Gaza, P.O. Box 108, Gaza Strip, Gaza, State of Palestine. 2 Uppsala University, Sweden. Contact information: Noor E. S. Abu Tayyem.  nooreabutayyem@gmail.com.