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PREVALENCE AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERNS OF CARBAPENEM-RESISTANT ACINETOBACTER SPP. AMONG INTENSIVE CARE UNIT PATIENTS IN BENGHAZI, LIBYA
Volume (2), Issue (1) , June 2026
Published: 06/30/2026
Abstract: Acinetobacter spp. are important healthcare-associated pathogens frequently implicated in intensive care unit (ICU) infections due to their ability to survive in hospital environments and develop multidrug resistance. The increasing emergence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter strains has become a major therapeutic and infection control challenge worldwide. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Acinetobacter spp. isolated from ICU patients in Benghazi, Libya, focusing on resistance to carbapenems and other antimicrobials. A retrospective cross-sectional study used microbiological records of ICU specimens processed at Al-Jalaa Hospital, Benghazi, Libya, from January to August 2024. Specimens included wound and burn swabs, endotracheal tube tips, suction catheter tips, Foley catheter tips, and other device samples. Acinetobacter spp. were isolated and identified using standard microbiological and biochemical methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested according to CLSI guidelines, and colistin susceptibility was determined by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing. A total of 111 Acinetobacter spp. isolates were recovered from ICU specimens. Swab samples accounted for 53.2% of isolates, while device-associated tip samples represented 46.8%. Wound swabs showed the highest isolation frequency (41.4%). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed high resistance rates to carbapenems, including ertapenem (99.1%), meropenem (55.9%), and imipenem (48.6%). High resistance was also observed against ceftazidime (64.9%) and cefotaxime (56.8%). Colistin demonstrated the highest in vitro activity, with 43.2% of isolates categorized as susceptible and 5.4% as resistant. High prevalence of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter spp. among ICU patients in Benghazi, with significant resistance to carbapenems and cephalosporins. Urgently need ongoing resistance surveillance, strengthened infection prevention measures, and implementation of effective antimicrobial stewardship programs in critical care settings.
Keywords: Acinetobacter; multidrug resistance; carbapenem resistance; intensive care unit; antimicrobial susceptibility.
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