Analysis of Antibiotic Susceptibility and Multidrug Resistance among Clinical Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the World Health Organization (WHO) priority pathogens of “greatest public health concern.” It does not normally cause invasive infections in normal people but is often linked to severe hospital acquired infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and people who are on broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, and critically ill intubated patients who have long hospital stays. Objective: In this study, the prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and molecular characterization of its antibiotic resistance genes in clinical isolates from blood and pus samples were determined. Methods: From December 2025 to March 2026, 20 clinical samples were collected from tertiary care hospitals, Khairpur, Sindh, Pakistan. The samples were processed to isolate and identify P. aeruginosa and molecular analysis was carried out for the identification of resistance related genes. Results: Out of 20 samples, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated in 12 cases (60%). The strains were multidrug-resistant (MDR) with resistance to several classes of antibiotics. Conclusion: The study shows high prevalence of MDR P. aeruginosa in clinical samples from study area. The results highlight the importance of ongoing surveillance of resistance genes and judicious choice of effective antibiotic classes to treat MDR infections.

Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Multidrug-resistant (MDR), Gram-negative bacteria, Antibiotic-resistance