O-79 Investigation of the frequency and antimicrobial resistance patterns of gram-negative infections in Barbados: a cross-sectional study
Author(s):
A Chabeja, M Gittens-St. Hilaire
Year of Presentation:
2026
Objective: To evaluate the frequency and antimicrobial
resistance patterns of Gram-negative infections (GNIs) in
hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients in Barbados from
2022 to 2024.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), Barbados, reviewing laboratory and patient records from January 2022 to December 2024. We included all patients with confirmed GNIs from blood, urine, and wound swabs. Patients were considered hospitalized if they were inpatients at QEH at the time of sample collection. Those who visited the QEH outpatient department or other polyclinics were considered non-hospitalized. We analyzed the data to determine the frequency of these infections, antimicrobial resistance patterns, and associated factors.
Results: Of 1,550 cases, 73.9% were hospitalized, and 26.1% were non-hospitalized. Older adults (>60 years) accounted for 61.2% of cases and were associated with hospitalization (p95%), while ampicillin had the lowest (33.4%). Multidrug resistance (MDR) was present in 41.4% and was associated with non-hospitalized status (p=0.009). K. pneumoniae was associated with increased resistance (OR=1.48, 95% CI: 1.06–2.05, p=0.020), while P. aeruginosa showed lower odds (OR=0.04, 95% CI: 0.01–0.18, p<0.001).
Conclusion: GNIs in Barbados were mainly caused by UTIs, with E. coli and K. pneumoniae as the predominant pathogens. MDR was higher in non-hospitalized patients, highlighting the need for continuous surveillance.