Journal of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

en Bacterial spectrum and antimicrobial susceptibility categories of wound, tissue biopsy and pus culture isolates in hospitalized patients in Northern Cyprus: a retrospective laboratory-based Short Report Anti-microbial agents, resistance and treatment protocols Anti-microbial agents, resistance and treatment protocols Original article Original article <div style="text-align: justify;">Introduction: Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) in hospitalized patients require local microbiological surveillance as empirical therapy is increasingly challenged by antimicrobial resistance. This study describes the bacterial spectrum and antimicrobial susceptibility categories of isolates recovered from wound, tissue biopsy, and pus cultures in Northern Cyprus. Methods: A retrospective laboratory-based analysis was conducted using 1,592 bacterial isolates recovered between January and December 2024. Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed using routine culture, Gram staining, biochemical testing and the BD Phoenix automated system. Results were interpreted according to EUCAST version 14.0 breakpoints. Categorical variables were summarized as frequencies and percentages. The association between laboratory-recorded extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) status and antimicrobial susceptibility category was evaluated using Pearson’s chi-square test after verification that all expected cell counts exceeded 5; Cramér’s V was calculated as the effect-size measure. Organism-specific susceptibility patterns were summarized descriptively because the expected-cell-count assumption was not satisfied. Results: The most frequently isolated microorganisms were Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae (24.2%), Staphylococcus aureus (16.7%), Escherichia coli (14.4%), Proteus mirabilis (10.7%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (10.2%). Overall, 937 isolates (58.9%) were categorized as susceptible (S), 65 (4.1%) as susceptible, increased exposure (I), and 590 (37.1%) as resistant (R). Laboratory-recorded ESBL-positive isolates were more frequently categorized as resistant than ESBL-negative isolates (70.5% vs 24.9%; χ²(2) = 280.284; P < 0.001; Cramér’s V = 0.420; minimum expected count = 17.31). Conclusions: Among the most frequently isolated microorganisms, Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae showed the highest resistance proportions. Because agent-specific susceptibility data were unavailable, the findings do not support recommendations for particular antimicrobial classes; they instead support improved local, agent-specific surveillance.</div>   Wound Infection, Soft Tissue Infections, Drug Resistance, Microbial, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Klebsiella pneumoniae 0 0 http://jommid.pasteur.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-734-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Zainab Bashar Abdulkader 20234993@std.neu.edu.tr 0009-0006-5505-2491 No Near East University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Nicosia, Northern Cyprus Havva Cobanogullari havva.cobanogullari@emu.edu.tr 0000-0003-4153-7739 No Eastern Mediterranean University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Famagusta, Northern Cyprus Yakup Cem Yababa yakup.yababa@emu.edu.tr 0009-0001-9630-1523 No Eastern Mediterranean University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Famagusta, Northern CyprusCyprus International University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nicosia, Northern CyprusCyprus International University, Biotechnology Research Center, Nicosia, Northern Cyprus Gamze Mocan gamze.mocan@neu.edu.tr 0000-0002-7625-4934 No Near East University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Nicosia, Cyprus Esref Celik esref.celik@neu.edu.tr 0000-0003-1873-1218 Yes Near East University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Nicosia, Northern Cyprus