2291. Evaluation of Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates in Patients Receiving Ceftolozane/tazobactam

BACKGROUND: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a challenging pathogen to treat. Ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) is a combination cephalosporin and β-lactamase inhibitor that has demonstrated activity against MDR P. aeruginosa, including carbapenem-resistant isolates. The objective of this study was to evaluate multidrug resistance in P. aeruginosa isolates obtained from patients treated with C/T across the Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System nationally. METHODS: Hospitalized patients who received at least 1 dose of CT between January 2015 and April 2018 and had a positive P. aeruginosa culture were included in this retrospective study. Culture source and antimicrobial susceptibility reports were assessed for each P. aeruginosa isolate. Isolates were categorized as multidrug-resistant based on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) definition. Resistance rates were categorized by source of culture. RESULTS: We identified 174 positive P. aeruginosa cultures among 154 patients who received at least one dose of C/T during the study period. The most common sources of isolates were lung (40% of patients), urine (21%), skin and soft tissue (15%), blood (14%), and bone/joint (14%). Most patients (98.1%) had isolates that were MDR, with high rates of carbapenem (84.4%), extended-spectrum cephalosporin (82.5%), and fluoroquinolone (79.9%) resistance. In this cohort, 50.6% of patients received at least one antibiotic prior to initiating C/T to which their clinical culture was not susceptible. CONCLUSION: Antibiotic resistance was high in this cohort of patients with P. aeruginosa, and as a result, use of non-susceptible antibiotics occurred in 50.6% of patients before C/T was started. The high carbapenem resistance rates are of great clinical concern, but highlight an area of utilization for C/T given its activity against carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa. DISCLOSURES: All authors: No reported disclosures.