Bacteria Isolated From Respiratory Tract Specimens of Renal Recipients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Due to Pneumonia: Epidemiology and Susceptibility of the Strains

• Bacterial cultures were positive in 134 specimens from 68 (72.3%) ARDS recipients, yielding 139 bacterial strains.
• The most commonly isolated species were gram-negative bacteria (111 isolates) with dominance of A baumanii (29.7%) and P aeruginosa (18.0%).
• The gram-negative bacteria were relatively resistant to 1st- and 2nd-generation cephalosporin and monocyclic beta-lactam and relatively sensitive to levofloxacin and meropenem.

ObjectiveWe estimated species distribution and frequency of antimicrobial resistance among bacterial pathogens isolated from respiratory tract specimens of renal recipients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to pneumonia.MethodsWe retrospectively collected patient demographics and clinical characteristics and microbiologic culture data with the use of standard microbiologic procedures and commercially available tests.ResultsFrom January 2001 to August 2014, 320 respiratory tract specimens were obtained from 94 renal recipients with ARDS. Bacterial cultures were positive in 134 specimens from 68 recipients (72.3%), yielding 139 bacterial strains. The most commonly isolated species were gram-negative bacteria (111 isolates) with dominance of Acinetobacter baumanii (29.7%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18.0%). The gram-negative bacteria were relatively resistant to 1st- and 2nd-generation cephalosporin and monocyclic beta-lactam and relatively sensitive to levofloxacin and meropenem, with rates of resistance of 80.2%, 76.6%, 73.9%, 36.0%, and 44.1%, respectively. The gram-positive bacteria, excluding Streptococcus uberis, were sensitive to glycopeptides and oxazolidone.ConclusionsGram-negative bacteria predominated as 79.9% of isolates from respiratory tract specimens of renal recipients with ARDS. The gram-negative bacteria were relatively sensitive to levofloxacin and meropenem and the gram-positive bacteria were sensitive to glycopeptides and oxazolidone.