Bacteria Isolated From Respiratory Tract Specimens of Renal Recipients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Due to Pneumonia: Epidemiology and Susceptibility of the Strains.

Objective: We estimated species distribution and frequency of antimicrobial resistance among bacterial pathogens isolated from respiratory tract specimens of renal recipients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to pneumonia.

Methods: We retrospectively collected patient demographics and clinical characteristics and microbiologic culture data with the use of standard microbiologic procedures and commercially available tests.

Results: From January 2001 to August 2014, 320 respiratory tract specimens were obtained from 94 renal recipients with ARDS. Bacterial cultures were positive in 134 specimens from 68 recipients (72.3%), yielding 139 bacterial strains. The most commonly isolated species were gram-negative bacteria (111 isolates) with dominance of Acinetobacter baumanii (29.7%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18.0%). The gram-negative bacteria were relatively resistant to 1st- and 2nd-generation cephalosporin and monocyclic beta-lactam and relatively sensitive to levofloxacin and meropenem, with rates of resistance of 80.2%, 76.6%, 73.9%, 36.0%, and 44.1%, respectively. The gram-positive bacteria, excluding Streptococcus uberis, were sensitive to glycopeptides and oxazolidone.

Conclusions: Gram-negative bacteria predominated as 79.9% of isolates from respiratory tract specimens of renal recipients with ARDS. The gram-negative bacteria were relatively sensitive to levofloxacin and meropenem and the gram-positive bacteria were sensitive to glycopeptides and oxazolidone.