The Prevalence and Automated Identification of Microorganisms Isolated from Clinical Samples in Kalar City

Effective isolation and accurate identification are two critical steps in diagnosing the causes of microbial infections. The ability to effectively analyze and identify isolates using manual isolation and automated instruments in identification is vital to the process. This study investigated the prevalence and distribution of bacterial and fungal isolates from various clinical samples. Laboratory experiments and surveys were conducted among patients who attended Zanko Medical Lab in Kalar City from August 2022 to March 2024. A total of 691 bacterial strains were isolated, with a high identification rate of 94.9%, using the automated VITEK 2 Compact system for microbial identification. Gram-negative bacteria constituted the majority (59.04%), followed by Gram-positive bacteria (34.15%) and yeasts (1.75%). Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most common gram-negative isolates from urine, with Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae being more frequent in females and Pseudomonas aeruginosa more frequent in males, particularly those undergoing endoscopic surgery. Among gram-positive isolates, Staphylococcus hemolyticus, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus were commonly identified, primarily from urine specimens. Urine samples constitute (84.2 %) of the isolates, high vaginal swabs (7.9 %), sputum samples (2.9 %) and other samples. The VITEK 2 Compact system is crucial for accurately identifying most isolates of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Some are too difficult to identify using other methods, such as semi-automated approaches.