Antimicrobial resistance patterns of microorganism isolates from clinical samples at Kibuye Referral Hospital, Rwanda

INTRODUCTION: Globally, antimicrobial resistance contributes to 1.27 million deaths annually, with nearly 5 million deaths directly attributable to drug-resistant infections. In Rwanda, particularly in the study setting, the burden of infection-causing microbes and antimicrobial resistance patterns remains poorly understood. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the microbial profile and antibiogram of clinical samples at Kibuye Level II Teaching Hospital. METHODS: A hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among samples sent for microbiological testing from April to July 2025. We have included all microbial isolates with positive culture results. Standard microbiological methods were used for organism identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Data entry and statistical analysis were performed using SPSS version 27. RESULTS: A total of 174 microbial isolates were included in this study. Pathogenic bacteria accounted for 138 (78.9%) of the isolates; 3 (1.7%) grew yeast, and 34 (19.4%) were considered possible contaminants (Coagulase-negative staphylococci). Gram-negative organisms were most frequently identified, at 81.6% (111), with Salmonella Typhi (54, 31.0%) the most common, followed by E. coli (23, 13.2%) and Staphylococcus aureus (20, 11.5%). Salmonella typhi showed better sensitivity to Tetracycline (58%), but moderate resistance to Meropenem (58%) and Ciprofloxacin (42%). CONCLUSION: A high burden of multidrug resistance was observed among Gram-negative pathogens. These findings underscore the urgent need to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship and develop institution-specific antibiograms to inform empiric treatment guidelines. We recommend routine surveillance and genomic sequencing to detect emerging resistant strains and guide public health interventions.