Affiliations: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hamad Medical
Corporation, Doha, Qatar | Department of Pediatrics, Hamad Medical Corporation,
Doha, Qatar
Note: [] Correspondence: Sittana S. Elshafie, MBBS, MSc., FRCPath,
DipHIC, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box:
3050, Doha-Qatar. Fax: +974 4392183; E-mail: selshafie@hmc.org.qa
Abstract: From the beginning of October 2002 until the end of April 2003, 72
samples from 36 cystic fibrosis patients were examined in the Microbiology
Laboratory, Hamad Medical Corporation. One hundred and thirteen organisms were
isolated and tested for their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern.
Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were
the predominant pathogens. Ten percent of H. influenzae were
β-lactamase producers and 57% were resistant to
co-trimoxazole. No methicillin resistant S. aureus was isolated. P.
aeruginosa strains, particularly the mucoid ones, showed high resistance to
aminoglycosides, while drugs like aztreonam, ceftazidime, cefepime,
piperacillin/tazobactam, imipenem, meropenem and ciprofloxacin, showed
low-level resistance and are reliable for empirical therapy for infection with
such organisms in our institute.
