Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant and Extensively Drug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Phenotypes in a High-Complexity Hospital Institution in Santa Marta, 2022

Abstract

Introduction:

The increasing incidence of multidrug-resistant (MDR), extensively drug-resistant (XDR), and pandrug-resistant (PDR) bacterial phenotypes—particularly among Enterobacterales responsible for multiple community- and hospital-acquired infections—poses a major threat to the efficacy of current antibiotic therapies.

Objective:

To determine the prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates exhibiting MDR and XDR phenotypes in a high-complexity clinical setting in Santa Marta (Magdalena), Colombia, during 2022.

Methods:

An observational, descriptive, and retrospective study was conducted based on microbiological records and positive cultures with susceptibility testing for K. pneumoniae obtained from patients treated in 2022. Antimicrobial resistance patterns were categorized according to the criteria established by Magiorakos et al. (1). Descriptive statistics were used to determine the frequency and distribution of MDR and XDR phenotypes by bacterial type and resistance profile.

Results:

Resistance rates were 37.5 % for ceftriaxone, 30.7 % for cefepime, and 28.1 % for ertapenem—values exceeding both the national average and those reported in other hospitals. MDR phenotypes were identified in 63.7 % of isolates, and possible XDR phenotypes in 17.7 %.

Conclusion:

The detection of a high proportion of MDR and potentially XDR K. pneumoniae isolates highlights the urgent need to strengthen local epidemiological surveillance, emphasizing continuous monitoring and the implementation of molecular diagnostics to identify high-risk clones and emerging hypervirulent, carbapenem-resistant strains.