Abstract

Background: Although Cystic fibrosis (CF), though rare in Bangladesh but it poses significant morbidity due to recurrent respiratory infections and progressive lung damage to the patients. Understanding the microbiological colonization patterns and antimicrobial resistance in Bangladeshi children with CF is important for optimizing the clinical management.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a period of 12-months at a tertiary pediatric hospital in Bangladesh. Sputum or oropharyngeal swab samples were collected from clinically stable CF patients for microbiological culture and sensitivity testing. Isolates were identified using standard biochemical methods, and antibiotic susceptibility was assessed via the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method according to CLSI guidelines.
Results: A total of 65 CF patients were included, with a mean age 76.63±41.08 months. The most frequently isolated organisms were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (35.4%), Staphylococcus aureus (15.4%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (23.1%). Multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains were observed in 10.4% isolates. Notably, sensitivity to ceftazidime, meropenem, and colistin remained relatively preserved in P. aeruginosa, while S. aureus showed high resistance to penicillin but retained sensitivity to vancomycin and linezolid.
Conclusion: In this study, children with cystic fibrosis in Bangladesh demonstrate a concerning prevalence of MDR respiratory pathogens, particularly P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. Periodic surveillance of microbial colonization and antimicrobial resistance patterns is essential to guide effective empirical therapy and limit resistance development.

Keywords

Cystic fibrosis, microbial colonization, antibiotic resistance, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus