A study of microbial colonization and their antibiotic resistance pattern in endotracheal aspirate cultures in intensive care unit patients at a tertiary care hospital of eastern UP, India

Nosocomial infections are a critical issue among intubated patients. Respiratory tract infection in relation to intubation and/ or mechanical ventilation has been reported to vary from 4% to 28% and this rate has been thought to be 21 times higher than in patients without endotracheal tube. The aim of our study was to identify the pathogens isolated from culture of endotracheal tube aspirates and determine their antibiogram. Patients on mechanical ventilation (MV) for >48 h in the intensive care units (ICU), critical care unit (CCU), PICU and NICU were included in this study. All the endotracheal aspirate samples were transported to the Microbiology laboratory for culture and sensitivity testing.