Characterization and Antibiotic Sensitivity Profile of Bacteria Isolated from Patients with Respiratory Tract Infections in Bangladesh

Abstract

The study was aimed to characterize bacterial isolates from respiratory tract infections (RTI) and
investigate their antibiotic sensitivity profile. Selective media and biochemical tests were used to characterize 40
bacterial isolates. Antibiotic sensitivity testing was conducted using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. About
42.5% (17) RTI patients were infected by Klebsiella pneumoniae, 30% (12) by Escherichia coli and 27.5% (11) by
Pseudomonas aeruginosa with no significant gender variation (p-value <0.578). Overall, 47% (out of 20) antibiotics
were sensitive, whereas 48% were resistant. Surprisingly, 18% P. aeruginosa and 20% K. pneumoniae were
carbapenem-resistant and 4 out of 7 cephalosporin antibiotics were highly resistant irrespective of pathogens. E. coli
showed better sensitivity to nitrofurantoin (78%) and levofloxacin (89%), while K. pneumoniae was insensitive to
cotrimoxazole (88%), gentamycin (77%) and piperacillin/tazobactam (66%). On the other hand, P. aeruginosa did
not respond to P. aeruginosa to nalidixic acid (60%) and ciprofloxacin (60%). This study concludes that
nitrofurantoin, levofloxacin, cotrimoxazole, gentamycin and piperacillin/tazobactam antibiotics could be better
alternative in treating bacterial RTIs.