Article PDF :

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Article type :

Original Article

Author :

Rachana Patel, Asmabanu Shaikh*, Anant Marathe

Volume :

8

Issue :

2

Abstract :

Background: The symptomatology and severity of covid-19 ranges widely depending on stage of infection. Most of the patients with mild to moderate disease can be managed without hospitalization. The patients with risk factors are likely to progress to severe disease. Patients developing secondary blood stream infections require longer hospital stay and are likely to develop fatal disease. The antibiotic selection is key to successful treatment of secondary BSI. This is cross-sectional study of 166 COVID 19 patients admitted to ICU of Parul Sevashram Hospital who developed sepsis like syndrome and were subjected to blood culture. Materials and Methods: Blood cultures were performed of all the patients developing sepsis like syndrome. IDSA guidelines were followed during blood collection for culture. Blood cultures were monitored on automated blood culture system. ID and susceptibility of all the isolates were performed on automated system (VITEK 2). Results: A total of 1915 patients were reported RT-PCR positive for SARS nCoV2 during the period of 1st March2020 to 30 October 2020. 452 patients needed hospitalization based on their Oxygen saturation and co-morbidities. Out of 452, 166 patients developed sepsis like syndrome and were subjected to blood culture. The Blood culture positivity was 37/166 (22.28%). Gram positive bacteria were found in 48.64% while gram negative bacteria were 43.24%. The Enterococcus was the most common Gram positive bacterial isolates in patients. Candida was isolated in 2/37 positive blood cultures. Gram negative bacteria were isolated mostly amongst those patients who were on Ventilator. Most of the Gram positive bacteria were sensitive to Clindamycin, Linezolid, Vancomycin, Daptomycin and Teicoplanin. Conclusion: The incidence rate of BSI was high. Early secondary blood stream infections were mostly endogenous. Enterococcus was the most common amongst Gram positive bacteria. Gram negative secondary bacterial infections were more common with patients on ventilator. The susceptibility pattern would help in decision making of empiric antibiotic therapy. Interestingly as described by some authors earlier the relationship between SARS nCoV 2 and Enterococci needs to be studied further.