EMERGENCE OF EXTENDED SPECTRUM BETA-LACTAMSE (ESBL) PRODUCING CITROBACTER - A NOSOCOMIAL PATHOGEN OF GREAT CONCERN

Background: Multidrug resistant Citrobacter species are emerging as nosocomial pathogens. Among the Citrobacter species, C. freundii is the most frequent isolate recovered from various clinical samples. Aims and objectives: i) To determine the frequency of isolation of Citrobacter from various clinical samples. ii) To analyse the antibiogram of Citrobacter species with special reference to ESBL production. The prospecti Method: ve study was carried out for a period of one year. The clinical samples were subjected to culture and sensitivity as per standard conventional methods and automated Vitek 2 compact system. The frequency of recovery of Citrobacter species was 6.44%, Results: of which the predominant was C. freundii (86%). Isolation was maximum from indoor patients (78.83%), the commonest sample being pus (25.9%) followed by urine (22.5%). The ESBL production was detected in 30.03% cases. Nosocomial infections due Conclusion: to ESBL producing Citrobacter species calls for the need of implementation of effective infection control measures, thus limiting the burden of this superbug.