INVESTIGATION OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE OF ESKAPE GROUP STRAINS

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a study of antibiotic resistance of clinical bacterial strains of the ESKAPE group (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter cloacae), which are the main causative agents of hospital infections. The antibiotic sensitivity of clinical isolates was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method using timing agar. All the studied microorganisms are characterized by a high level of resistance to the main groups of antimicrobial drugs, including beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones, and aminoglycosides. The most pronounced multidrug resistance was found in Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, including a high incidence of ESBL-producing strains and decreased sensitivity to carbapenems. The spread of resistant forms, including vancomycin-resistant and methicillin-resistant isolates, has been noted in Enterococcus faecium and Staphylococcus aureus. Some reserve drugs, in particular carbapenems and colistin, retain limited activity against some strains, but their effectiveness varies significantly depending on the type of microorganism. There is widespread multidrug resistance, including a high proportion of ESBL-producing Enterobacterales strains, carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as beta-lactamase-producing Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium. The main mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in ESKAPE pathogens are the production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL), carbapenemases, changes in antibiotic targets, active drug excretion, biofilm formation, and horizontal transfer of resistance genes between bacteria. In this regard, studying the resistance profile of clinical isolates of the ESKAPE group and monitoring the spread of resistance mechanisms are important tasks of modern clinical microbiology and epidemiology. The data obtained confirm the relevance of monitoring antibiotic resistance and substantiate the expediency of searching for alternative therapies, including the use of bacteriophages.