Aetiology of Bacterial Infections and Antibiotic Resistance in Pediatric Patients from a Romanian Hospital Download PDF

The development of microorganism resistance to antibiotics is a topic of global interest and Romania is among the most vulnerable countries in terms of antimicrobial resistance. Our retrospective study was carried out for a year at the Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children "Saint John" in Galati, on a number of 9910 pathological samples. The main isolated strains were Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. A percent of 25.4 was methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections and strains displayed high rates of resistance to beta-lactams and macrolides. Less effective for the treatment of infections with Escherichia coli were aminopenicillins and cephalosporins although resistance to third-generation cephalosporins had a relatively small value than the national one.  Isolated Escherichia coli strains showed low resistance to fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides also. Klebsiella sp strains showed increased resistance to third-generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and aminoglycosides higher than the values recorded at the European level. Results obtained in terms of antibiotic resistance are lower than those recorded in some studies at a national level but higher than the European average. The situation remains worrying if we consider the fact that the selected group is a pediatric one, with most children under nine years. More than ever, we must take active measures in perspective about the seriousness of the problem and the long-term consequences.