Prevalence, Molecular Identification, and Antibiotic Susceptibility Profile of Klebsiella pneumoniae in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a critical contributor to both community- and hospital-acquired infections, with rising multidrug resistance (MDR) posing serious therapeutic challenges.

Objective: This study assessed the prevalence of K. pneumoniae and its antimicrobial susceptibility patterns among clinical specimens collected at Chittagong Medical College, Bangladesh.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2022 to June 2023 in Chittagong Medical College, Chattogram. A total of 320 clinical specimens (urine, wound swabs, sputum, blood) from inpatients and outpatients were subjected to culture and sensitivity. Conventional microbiological identification was confirmed by 16S rRNA PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibility (excluding colistin) was tested via the Modified Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method (CLSI 2022). Colistin resistance was assessed using the colistin agar test, applying CLSI breakpoints.

Results: Overall culture positivity was 63.4% (203/320). Klebsiella pneumoniae was confirmed in 16.9% (54/320) of samples, most commonly isolated from sputum (51.4%), followed by wound swabs (17.1%), urine (11.8%), and blood (6.5%). Among the 54 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates, resistance rates were highest against amoxiclav (94.4%), with lower resistance observed for aminoglycosides (amikacin, 24.1%) and meropenem (31.5%). Colistin resistance was detected in 12.9% (7/54) of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates.

Conclusion: The prominence of Klebsiella pneumoniae and its variable degree of resistance to multiple antibiotics, underscores an urgent need for enhanced antimicrobial stewardship, accurate diagnostics, and robust surveillance in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Journal of Medical Microbiology, January 2026;20 (1):3-9