Emergence of tigecycline and colistin resistance in Acinetobacter species isolated from patients in Kuwait hospitals

J Chemother. 2011 Feb;23(1):13-6. doi: 10.1179/joc.2011.23.1.13.

Abstract

The development of resistance is a compelling reason for reviewing administration of antibiotics. Recently, most Acinetobacter infections are caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains which have necessitated the use of tigecycline or colistin. This study was undertaken to determine the susceptibility of Acinetobacter spp. to these and other drugs. A total of 250 Acinetobacter isolates were collected from the 8 government hospitals over a period of 6 months. Susceptibility to 18 antibiotics, including tigecycline and colistin, was investigated by determining their minimum inhibitory concentrations using E test. Of the 250 isolates, 13.6% and 12% were resistant to tigecycline and colistin. A total of 25.2% and 37.2% were resistant to imipenem and meropenem, respectively. Of the 250 isolates 88.4% were MDR. This relatively high prevalence of tigecycline and colistin-resistant isolates indicates an emerging therapeutic problem which may severely compromise the treatment of MDR Acinetobacter spp. infections in Kuwait.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acinetobacter / drug effects*
  • Acinetobacter / isolation & purification
  • Acinetobacter Infections / drug therapy
  • Acinetobacter Infections / microbiology*
  • Acinetobacter baumannii / drug effects
  • Acinetobacter baumannii / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Colistin / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Imipenem / pharmacology
  • Kuwait
  • Meropenem
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Minocycline / analogs & derivatives*
  • Minocycline / pharmacology
  • Thienamycins / pharmacology
  • Tigecycline

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Thienamycins
  • Tigecycline
  • Imipenem
  • Meropenem
  • Minocycline
  • Colistin