Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 2025; 27(2):217-228
To study susceptibility of clinical Bacteroides spp. and Clostridium perfringens isolates to antimicrobial agents across different regions of the Russian Federation and to identify regional patterns of antimicrobial resistance.
The study included 1,685 isolates of obligate anaerobic bacteria belonging to 107 species, isolated from patients in 60 regions of the Russian Federation during period from January 2023 to December 2024. Among them, 144 C. perfringens isolates from 37 regions, and 370 Bacteroides spp. isolates from 53 regions. Identification was performed using the MALDI-TOF MS method, antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted using the disk diffusion method and agar dilution method in accordance with the Russian guidelines «Determination of Microorganism Susceptibility to Antimicrobial Agents,» version 2024-02.
Significant variability in resistance levels was observed across different regions. Among Bacteroides spp. high resistance rates was detected for meropenem (48.92%), metronidazole (34.59%), and piperacillin-tazobactam (38.38%). C. perfringens demonstrated high susceptibility to vancomycin (93.75%) but considerable resistance to clindamycin (47.92%). Isolates of Bacteroides spp. exhibiting complete resistance to all tested antibiotics were found in 14 regions, while multidrug-resistant C. perfringens strains were identified in 7 regions.
This study confirms a significant prevalence of antibiotic resistance among anaerobic microorganisms in Russian hospitals. Marked regional differences in resistance patterns emphasize the need for enhanced monitoring and the development of region-specific antimicrobial therapy strategies.