LAUSR

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing global threat to public health, particularly in Latin America. Most published data are based on adults with limited pediatric reports regarding resistance trends. Our study evaluated AMR rates in a large tertiary pediatric hospital in Guatemala City and the association with clinical outcomes. We analyzed AMR rates for six bacterial species (Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus) identified from blood cultures from the WHONET database between 2005-2019. Resistance was determined using CLSI cut-offs on the VITEK and Sensititre systems. Student’s t tests and simple linear regression models were performed. A retrospective review was performed on 99 pediatric patient charts with positive blood cultures (June 2018-May 2019) to assess clinical outcomes. Klebsiella and Acinetobacter were the most prevalent organisms throughout the 15 years of surveillance, with 2019 sensitivities demonstrating carbapenem-resistance in 99 (57%) and 57 (91%) of isolates, respectively. Increased resistance rates were noted for all Gram-negative organisms evaluated, with particular clinical and statistical significance noted for K. pneumoniae with imipenem (4.3% average resistance increase per year (PARPY), p-value < 0.0001), ciprofloxacin (4.5 PARPY, < 0.0001), and piperacillin-tazobactam (3.4 PARPY, < 0.0001), as well as A. baumannii with imipenem (2.9 PARPY, p-value < 0.0001), cefepime (1.7 PARPY, < 0.0001), and ciprofloxacin (2.5 PARPY, 0.0002). In contrast, resistance rates decreased for S. aureus with oxacillin (-2.7 PARPY, 0.0015). A mortality rate of 20% among our 99-patient cohort was detected. Of the 37% who received optimal therapy, the median time to optimal therapy was 90 hours. Acinetobacter baumannii resistance to imipenem, 2005-2019 Klebsiella pneumoniae resistance to imipenem, 2005-2019 Staphylococcus aureus resistance to oxacillin, 2005-2019 Significant rises in AMR among pediatric patients in a large tertiary hospital in Guatemala City have occurred over 15 years. This likely contributed to delays in optimal antimicrobial therapy, increased exposure to broad spectrum antibiotics, and potentially increased mortality. Improved antimicrobial stewardship, infection prevention, and rapid diagnostic testing are needed in order to combat this growing problem. Kelly E. Graff, MD, BioFire Diagnostics, LLC (Grant/Research Support) Samuel Dominguez, MD, PhD, BioFire (Consultant, Research Grant or Support)