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Volume 10
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10.3390/antibiotics10080954
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Article

Paradigm Shift in Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Bacterial Isolates during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by
Vikas Saini
1,
Charu Jain
1,
Narendra Pal Singh
1,
Ahmad Alsulimani
2,
Chhavi Gupta
3,
Sajad Ahmad Dar
1,4,
Shafiul Haque
4,5,* and
Shukla Das
1,*
1
Department of Microbiology, University College of Medical Sciences & GTB Hospital, Delhi 110095, India
2
Medical Laboratory Technology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
3
Northern Railways Central Hospital, New Delhi 110055, India
4
Research and Scientific Studies Unit, College of Nursing, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
5
Faculty of Medicine, Görükle Campus, Bursa Uludağ University, Nilüfer 16059, Turkey
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Antibiotics 2021, 10(8), 954; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10080954
Submission received: 30 June 2021 / Revised: 24 July 2021 / Accepted: 26 July 2021 / Published: 7 August 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial Agents Used in Intensive Care Unit)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an emerging public health problem in modern times and the current COVID-19 pandemic has further exaggerated this problem. Due to bacterial co-infection in COVID-19 cases, an irrational consumption of antibiotics has occurred during the pandemic. This study aimed to observe the COVID-19 patients hospitalized from 1 March 2019 to 31 December 2020 and to evaluate the AMR pattern of bacterial agents isolated. This was a single-center study comprising 494 bacterial isolates (blood and urine) that were obtained from patients with SARS-CoV-2 admitted to the ICU and investigated in the Department of Microbiology of a tertiary care hospital in Delhi, India. Out of the total bacterial isolates, 55.46% were gram negative and 44.53% were gram positive pathogens. Of the blood samples processed, the most common isolates were CoNS (Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus) and Staphylococcus aureus. Amongst the urinary isolates, most common pathogens were Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. A total of 60% MRSA was observed in urine and blood isolates. Up to 40% increase in AMR was observed amongst these isolates obtained during COVID-19 period compared to pre-COVID-19 times. The overuse of antibiotics gave abundant opportunity for the bacterial pathogens to gradually develop mechanisms and to acquire resistance. Since the dynamics of SARS-COV-2 are unpredictable, a compromise on hospital antibiotic policy may ultimately escalate the burden of drug resistant pathogens in hospitals. A shortage of trained staff during COVID-19 pandemic renders it impossible to maintain these records in places where the entire hospital staff is struggling to save lives. This study highlights the extensive rise in the use of antibiotics for respiratory illness due to COVID-19 compared to antibiotic use prior to COVID-19 in ICUs. The regular prescription audit followed by a constant surveillance of hospital infection control practices by the dedicated teams and training of clinicians can improve the quality of medications in the long run and help to fight the menace of AMR.
Keywords: antibiotics; antimicrobial resistance; bacterial co-infection; COVID-19; irrational consumption antibiotics; antimicrobial resistance; bacterial co-infection; COVID-19; irrational consumption

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Saini, V.; Jain, C.; Singh, N.P.; Alsulimani, A.; Gupta, C.; Dar, S.A.; Haque, S.; Das, S. Paradigm Shift in Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Bacterial Isolates during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Antibiotics 2021, 10, 954. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10080954

AMA Style

Saini V, Jain C, Singh NP, Alsulimani A, Gupta C, Dar SA, Haque S, Das S. Paradigm Shift in Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Bacterial Isolates during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Antibiotics. 2021; 10(8):954. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10080954

Chicago/Turabian Style

Saini, Vikas, Charu Jain, Narendra Pal Singh, Ahmad Alsulimani, Chhavi Gupta, Sajad Ahmad Dar, Shafiul Haque, and Shukla Das. 2021. "Paradigm Shift in Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Bacterial Isolates during the COVID-19 Pandemic" Antibiotics 10, no. 8: 954. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10080954

APA Style

Saini, V., Jain, C., Singh, N. P., Alsulimani, A., Gupta, C., Dar, S. A., Haque, S., & Das, S. (2021). Paradigm Shift in Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Bacterial Isolates during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Antibiotics, 10(8), 954. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10080954

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