Banca de DEFESA: JESSICA MIRELLY ALVES DA SILVA

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : JESSICA MIRELLY ALVES DA SILVA
DATE: 30/09/2026
TIME: 17:00
LOCAL: Videoconferência
TITLE:

Prevalence of Carbapenem-Resistant Bacteria Belonging to the ESKAPEE Group in Isolates from the Referral Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Natal

KEY WORDS:

Antimicrobial resistance, E.S.K.A.P.E.E.; Carbapenemase, HAIs.

PAGES: 64
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Parasitologia
SUMMARY:

Antimicrobial resistance constitutes a public health issue, particularly regarding healthcare-associated infections. Prominent among the etiological agents of these infections are those belonging to the ESKAPE group: *Enterococcus faecium*/*faecalis*, *Staphylococcus aureus*, *Klebsiella* spp., *Acinetobacter baumannii*, *Pseudomonas aeruginosa*, *E. coli*, and *Enterobacter* spp. Research into laboratory methods that enable better identification of resistance mechanisms in bacterial species is crucial for microbiological surveillance. Given this context, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence and primary resistance mechanisms of species within this group. This was an exploratory descriptive study involving bacterial isolates obtained from patients in the Intensive Care Unit of a referral hospital for infectious diseases in Natal; samples were collected between September 2024 and September 2025, initially identified via VITEK® (showing multidrug-resistant profiles), and subsequently confirmed using MALDI-TOF. A total of 64 samples were selected, comprising: *P. aeruginosa* (31; 48.43%), *A. baumannii* (17; 26.56%), and *K. pneumoniae* (11; 17.18%); *K. oxytoca* (1), *E. coli* (1), *E. cloacae* (1), *E. faecalis* (1), and *S. aureus* (1) accounted for 7.81% of the total samples. The identity of 87.09% (54/62) of the samples analyzed by MALDI-TOF was confirmed. The majority of isolates were obtained from: blood cultures (28; 43.75%), urine cultures (23; 35.93%), and tracheal aspirates (7; 10.93%); sputum (1), cerebrospinal fluid (1), tissue fragments (1), drain site abscesses (1), left ear swabs (1), and tracheal secretions (1) accounted for 9.37% of the total samples. All isolates tested against meropenem showed resistance to the antibiotic. All isolates subjected to phenotypic testing tested positive for the carbapenemase phenotype, and 11.29% (7/62) tested positive for metallo-beta-lactamase; 48.38% (30/62) of isolates were positive for blaKPC, and 12.90% (8/62) were positive for blaNDM. These findings reveal a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria within this group, underscoring the need for strategic integration of various diagnostic and bacterial identification methods to safeguard public health.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 1049952 - DEYSIANE OLIVEIRA BRANDAO
Externa à Instituição - LUANNE EUGÊNIA NUNES - UNILAB
Interna - 1452833 - MARIA CELESTE NUNES DE MELO