Gram Negative Super Bugs: A New Generation of ICU Infections, an Emerging Challenge for Health Care Settings

Emergence of Antimicrobial resistance is a growing threat worldwide, and a major threat in India where antibiotics are readily available. The patients in Intensive care units are at 5 to 10 times more risk of acquiring hospital acquired infections due to various multi drug resistant bacterias. Gram Negative bugs are most observed in Indian ICUs, which is a major challenge for the intensivists in their clinical practice. The major mechanism of resistance in these Gram negative bacteria are the enzymes called Beta lactamases like ESBL, AmpC, and carbapenemases. The present study was undertaken to determine the spectrum of Multidrug resistant Gram negative bacteria causing infections in the ICUs and the common beta lactamases acquired by them, which were detected phenotypically and genotypically by Multiplex PCR. These findings will guide the clinicians in appropriate empirical therapy, reduce drug resistance and thus improve patient outcome.