The Prevalence and Risk Factors of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter Species in Catheterized and Non-Catheterized Patients in A Tertiary Hospital at Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria

A study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. among catheterized and non-catheterized patients at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, and Anambra State, Nigeria. The cross-sectional study was carried out from May to July 2025 and included 200 hospitalized participants: 82 catheterized and 118 non-catheterized patients. Questionnaire data were collected through oral interviews, and urine specimens were collected in sterile containers. Conventional culture methods were used, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby–Bauer disc-diffusion method. The report recorded the highest prevalence of significant bacterial growth among participants aged 56–65 years (38.2%); the age group 36–45 years had the lowest reported prevalence (15.8%). Doripenem showed the highest reported resistance (95.5%), while ertapenem had the lowest reported resistance (51.3%). The reported highest multidrug-resistance pattern involved doripenem and meropenem (86.8%). Statistical associations were reported between positive isolates and age groups 36–45 and 46–55 years, occupation, and catheterization status. No statistically significant associations were reported for symptoms or medical history. The study concluded that carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. represented a concern for hospital infection prevention and antimicrobial treatment. The findings support attention to hygiene, infection-control practices, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

Keywords: Acinetobacter spp.; carbapenem resistance; catheterization; antimicrobial susceptibility; urinary isolates; Nigeria.