Detection of Metallo-beta-lactamase Producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa in an Abidjan Hospital, Côte d’Ivoire

Metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa has emerged as a threat to hospital infection control, due to its ability of multi-drug resistance. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of MBL producing P. aeruginosa in an Abidjan Hospital, Côte d'Ivoire.

Methods: A prospective study was undertaken to detect MBLs in P. aeruginosa isolates obtained from various clinical samples. A total of 88 strains were screened for imipenem resistance by the disc diffusion method. Detection of MBLs were further done by phenotypic methods, using imipenem-EDTA disk synergy (DST) test and combined disk test (CDT).

Results: Out of 88 isolates, 14 isolates (15.9%) were imipenem resistant. Out 14 imipenem resistant P. aeruginosa strains, 11 were positive for MBL production by CDT and by DST.

Conclusion: Majority (78.6%) of imipenem resistant P. aeruginosa were MBL positive. The prevalence of MBL producing-P. aeruginosa increased from 10.4% in 2011 to 12.5% in 2015 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Early detection of carbapenemases and MBL can be performed in hospitals and laboratories from the following rapid and less expensive tests.