Superbug Surge-A Tale of Seven-Year Battle Against Escalating Antimicrobial Resistance in North India

A study conducted in a tertiary care hospital in North India from 2018 to 2024 assessed bacterial prevalence and antimicrobial resistance patterns. Clinical specimens were collected from outpatients, inpatients, and ICUs. Bacterial identification and susceptibility testing were performed using conventional and automated methods. Out of 1,30,077 samples, 20.8% were culture-positive. Gram-negative bacteria predominated, with Escherichia coli being the most common. Gram-positive bacteria were most prevalent, with Staphylococcus aureus being the most prevalent. High resistance rates were observed, particularly in carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii and methicillin-resistant S. aureus.