Antibacterial Resistance Patterns Among Common Infections in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Saudi Arabia

Background The rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria threatens the control of infectious diseases by reducing treatment effectiveness, prolonging illness duration, and increasing healthcare costs. This study aimed to identify the common rate of bacterial resistance against antibacterial agents in tertiary healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia. Methodology This retrospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted from May 2016 to December 2019 on 1,151 urinary tract infection (UTI) and respiratory tract infection (RTI) positive cultures collected from participants aged 15 years or older who received antibiotic treatment. The obtained variables included age, gender, diagnosis, antibiotic type, specimen source, culture results, and sensitivity test results. Results The most common bacteria in UTI were Escherichia coli (46.7%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (30.5%). Moreover, E. coli was most resistant to ampicillin (56.4%), followed by ceftriaxone (33.8%). Among the respiratory cultures, the most frequently isolated pathogen was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (28.5%), followed by K. pneumoniae (17.6%). The 162 respiratory P. aeruginosa isolates were most resistant to piperacillin/tazobactam (51.9%), followed by ciprofloxacin (25%) and ampicillin (10.6%). Conclusion High levels of antibiotic resistance were observed in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. This indicates a need for better implementation of antibacterial stewardship and increased awareness of appropriate antibiotic use to limit the rapid spread of antibacterial resistance.