Characterization and changing minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Acinetobacter species from a tertiary care setup.

128 isolates of Acinetobacter species from admitted and outdoor patients were subjected to biotyping and resistotyping. Resistance phenotype analysis included nine antibiotics and two betalactam inhibitor combination drugs. In 100 strains of Acinetobacter spp. ciprofloxacin, amikacin, cefotaxime and cefepime minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was done by agar dilution using NCCLS 2002 criteria. In forty-nine isolates MIC level was determined by E-strip also. Extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) production was detected by double disc synergy technique. Inducible beta lactamases (IBL's) were detected by disc approximation method. The relationship between biotypes and resistance phenotype was analyzed. Majority of isolates (93.75%) were from admitted patients. The biotyping revealed Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex (87.2%) to be the predominant species and they were isolated from tracheal aspirates of patients with ventilator associated pneumonia. By Kirby Bauer disc diffusion antimicrobial sensitivity testing Acinetobacter spp. were most sensitive to the combination of drug cefoperazone-sulbactam (95.6%) followed by meropenem (94.6%), piperacillin-tazobactam (92.6%). On screening incidence of Imipenem Nonsensitive Acinetobacter spp. (INSA) was (5.4%). Acinetobacter spp. were typable by six resistance phenotypes and six biotypes. Most common (66.6%) resistant phenotype of A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex was susceptible to cefoperazone-sulbactam and or meropenem and or piperacillin-tazobactam. ESBL production was seen in 6% and IBL (Inducible Beta Lactamase) production was seen in 7% of Acinetobacter spp. The MIC90 for ciprofloxacin was =256 microg/ml, cefotaxime 512 microg/ml, cefepime 512 microg/ml, and amikacin 32 microg/ml. Multidrug resistance was seen in more than 90% of A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex and 20% of Acinetobacter lwoffii. Acinetobacter spp. has other emerging novel mechanism of resistance that requires continuous research. Simpler, reproducible and reliable methods of biotyping and their subsequent correlation with resistotyping are more cost effective than molecular methods, which are available only in reference laboratories.