Pathogen distribution and microbial resistance pattern in endotracheal aspirate samples of intensive care unit patients before and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate the distribution of pathogen microorganisms and antimicrobial resistance rates isolated from endotracheal aspirate (ETA) samples of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive and negative patients followed and treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) of our hospital, and to examine the effect of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic on this. Methods: In this study, ETA samples sent to the microbiology laboratory from hospitalized patients in Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University Hospital general ICU-1 and general ICU-2 between March 11, 2018 and March 10, 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was used to follow up patients with SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive in ICU-1 and SARS-CoV-2 PCR negative patients in ICU-2. The working period is divided into two parts as pre-pandemic (2018 - 2019) and post-pandemic (2020 - 2021). Bacterial identification and antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed using conventional methods and automated systems. Colistin sensitivity was studied by broth microdilution, and ceftazidime avibactam (CZA) sensitivity was studied by disk diffusion method. Statistical analysis was performed with the chi-square test, p