High burden of antimicrobial resistance and mortality among adults and children with community-onset bacterial infections in India

Background

In India, antimicrobial consumption is high, yet systematically collected data on the epidemiology, risk factors, and outcomes of antimicrobial-resistant infections are limited.

Methods

A prospective study of adults and children hospitalized for acute febrile illness was conducted between August 2013 and December 2015. In-hospital outcomes were recorded, and logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of community-onset antimicrobial-resistant infections.

Results

Among 1524 patients hospitalized with acute febrile illness, 133 isolates were found among 115 patients with community-onset infections; 66 isolates (50.0%) were multidrug resistant and, of 33 isolates tested for carbapenem susceptibility, 12 (36%) were resistant. Multidrug-resistant infections were associated with recent antecedent antibiotic use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19–19.7) and were independently associated with mortality (aOR, 6.06; 95% CI, 1.2–55.7).

Conclusion

We found a high burden of community-onset antimicrobial-resistant infection among patients with acute febrile illness in India. Multidrug-resistant infection was associated with prior antibiotic use and an increased risk of mortality.