Antimicrobial Resistance in Gram-Negative Bacterial Pneumonia After the COVID-19 Pandemic in Northern Iran
Golnar Rahimzadeh, Mahdieh Askari, Raha Rezai, Shaghayegh Rezai, Mohammad Sadegh Rezai, Masoud MoradiBackground:
The irrational use of antibiotics has become a significant factor in the escalating global crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR is linked to an increasing burden of healthcare-associated infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens, which present substantial challenges for infection control and patient management. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the widespread use of antibiotics for treating and preventing secondary bacterial infections further exacerbated the threat of AMR worldwide. This study aimed to determine the antibiotic resistance profile of Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) causing pneumonia after COVID-19 in Northern Iran.
Materials and Methods:
In this cross-sectional study, respiratory specimens were collected from hospitalized patients with bacterial pneumonia at four hospitals in Northern Iran. The antimicrobial susceptibility profiles were assessed using the standard microdilution method in accordance with CLSI guidelines (2020). Additionally, resistance-associated genetic determinants were evaluated using multiplex PCR.
Results:
A total of 120 MDR GNB isolates were identified, primarily from sputum specimens (75.8%).
Conclusions:
The present study highlights the increasing AMR among GNB causing pneumonia in ICU settings post COVID-19 pandemic in hospitals in Northern Iran. The prevalence of