Multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria in ICU patients of a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia: distribution of carbapenemase genes in clinical and rectal swab samples.

Antimicrobial resistance among Gram-negative bacteria is a growing clinical challenge. This study aimed to assess bacterial distribution, antimicrobial susceptibility, and carbapenemase gene prevalence in clinical isolates. A total of 154 patients (mean age: 57.51 ± 18.75 years) were included. Specimens were primarily sputum (42.2%), blood (22.7%), and urine (18.8%). Bacterial isolates included K pneumoniae (43.8%), A. baumannii (24%), and P. aeruginosa (13.5%). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was conducted to evaluate resistance patterns. MDR was detected, with alarming resistance to carbapenems, β-lactams, and fluoroquinolones. A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa exhibited near-total resistance to Imipenem (IPM), Meropenem (MRP), and Ertapenem (ETP), indicating extensive drug resistance (XDR). K. pneumoniae demonstrated exceptionally high resistance to carbapenems (IPM: 90.5%, MRP: 92.9%) and β-lactam antibacterial drugs (> 90%). Fluoroquinolone resistance exceeded 90% for Ciprofloxacin and Levofloxacin in A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, and K. pneumoniae. Aminoglycosides, particularly Gentamicin, showed moderate resistance (A. baumannii: 87%, P. aeruginosa: 69.2%). Tigecycline remained one of the few viable treatment options against K. pneumoniae. Biofilm formation was significant, with 63.6% of isolates producing biofilm, particularly P. aeruginosa (80.9%), K. pneumoniae (67.2%), and A. baumannii (48.6%), increasing their pathogenic potential. Carbapenemase production was detected in 42.9% of isolates. The most prevalent genes were blaOXA- 48 (15.6%), blaNDM (8.4%), and blaVIM (7.1%), with co-expression in 9.7% of isolates. K. pneumoniae exhibited the highest risk for carbapenemase production (OR: 4.23, p < 0.001), whereas A. baumannii had a significantly lower risk (OR: 0.20, p = 0.005). Screening swabs showed more OXA- 48 (42.1%), while clinical isolates had more NDM and VIM. Alternative resistance mechanisms were suggested in 57.3% of clinical cases. The overwhelming prevalence of MDR and Carbapenem resistance among Gram-negative bacteria, particularly K. pneumoniae and A. baumannii, emphasizes an urgent need for strict antimicrobial stewardship, advanced infection control strategies, and novel therapeutic interventions to combat resistance spread.