Bacterial isolation, identification, and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern from biomedical waste samples
Keywords:
Biomedical waste, antimicrobial resistance, MRSA, multidrug resistance, Kirby-Bauer, nosocomial infectionsAbstract
Biomedical waste from healthcare facilities carries a substantial burden of pathogenic microorganisms capable of causing hospital-acquired infections and propagating antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The inadequate disposal of such waste poses a direct threat to healthcare workers, patients, and the surrounding community. This study aimed to isolate and identify bacteria present in biomedical waste samples collected from IRWIN Hospital, Amravati, and to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the recovered isolates using standard disc diffusion methodology. Twenty biomedical waste samples (BMW01–BMW20) were collected aseptically from various hospital sites. Bacterial identification was based on colony morphology, Gram staining, motility, and biochemical characterization (IMViC, catalase, urease, and sugar fermentation tests). Antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method on Mueller Hinton agar for four antibiotics — Ampicillin (AMP, 10 mcg), Tetracycline (TE, 30 mcg), Gentamicin (GEN, 10 mcg), and Methicillin (MET, 5 mcg) — with interpretation based on CLSI (2025) guidelines. A total of 40 bacterial isolates were recovered. Escherichia coli was the most prevalent organism (n=15; 37.5%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (n=12; 30%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=7; 17.5%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=6; 15%). All isolates showed complete resistance (100%) to Ampicillin. Methicillin resistance was universal except where intrinsic resistance rendered testing irrelevant for Gram-negatives. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was confirmed in all K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa strains. MRSA characteristics were identified in all S. aureus isolates. Biomedical waste is a critical reservoir for MDR pathogens. Urgent enforcement of waste management protocols and rational antibiotic stewardship are essential to curb infection risk and AMR dissemination.
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