THE PREVALENCE OF PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA STRAINS IN INFANTS WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS WITHIN A HOSPITAL IN NORTH EASTER OF ROMANIA

AbstractCystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common autosomal recessive genetic disease caused by mutation of the CFTR gene. In Romania, CF disease has an estimated a prevalence of 1 case per 2500 live births. Approximately 50% of children die in early life, so the exact number of CF patients in our country remains unknown as no national patient registry exists. This situation has limited our knowledge about the disease progression. Complicated with P. aeruginosa is giving long progressive diseases and often aggravates morbidity and mortality.The aim of the study was to phenotypically frame the P. aeruginosa strains, according to their antibiotic susceptibility profile in order to administer more precisely the antibiotics and to avoid development of multidrug-resistant strains.After the diagnosis of CF, the patients return to a medical control at every 3 months. The sputum samples are collected from these patients, in order to perform the bacteriological examination and the DST test. This study was performed during 1 year (01.01-31.12.2015), and all the sputum samples were cultivated on usual and on special culture media to establish more precisely the type of isolated bacteria. The confirmation was performed using the API 20 NE biochemical test and classified in resistance phenotypes according to CLSI 2015 standards.The study population was represented by 85 infants with CF, from which we isolated 364 bacterial strains. 10.16% of the total of bacterial strains were represented by P. aeruginosa. A major problem represents the repeated antibiotic treatments, this being favourable for the emergence of resistant strains. Antibiotic resistance is currently one of the most important problems faced by clinicians. (7) Multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of P. aeruginosa were identified in this study and we highlighted that this strains limits the antimicrobial treatment and is shortening the patient's life. (9)