Background: Carbapenems are broad-spectrum β-lactam antibiotics, often reserved as last-line treatment for infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria. Carbapenemase producing organisms (CPOs) pose a serious public health threat, contributing to severe healthcare-associated infections and increased mortality rates. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of CPOs and their antibiotic resistance patterns in isolates from burn and wound infections.
Methods: A total of 250 clinical samples (140 wound swabs and 110 burn swabs) were collected from hospitalized patients in Kirkuk and Sulaimaniyah hospitals between January and July 2023. Specimens were cultured on MacConkey agar and cetrimide agar and incubated at 37°C for 18–24 hours. Bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed using the BD Phoenix™ M50 system, while carbapenemase production was confirmed using the BD RAPIDEC® CARBA NP assay.
Results: Among the isolates, 27 (38.02%) were confirmed as carbapenemase-producing and exhibited multidrug resistance. The distribution was as follows: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (44.44%, 12 isolates), Escherichia coli (33.33%, 9 isolates), Enterobacter cloacae (18.51%, 5 isolates), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (3.7%, 1 isolate). Notably, CP-P. aeruginosa and CP-K. pneumoniae showed the highest resistance, being resistant to 15 antibiotics across seven different classes.
Conclusion: This study reveals a high prevalence of MDR CPOs in burn and wound infections, likely due to antibiotic misuse or overuse. The findings highlight the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies to combat carbapenem-resistant pathogens, which are associated with increased global morbidity and mortality.