Antimicrobial resistance of bacteria isolated from blood cultures at a tertiary hospital in Papua New Guinea: implications for antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance
8 affiliations
- 1Department of Pathology, Goroka Provincial Hospital, Goroka, Papua New Guinea
- 2AMR-One Health Working Group, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- 3Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
- 4Department of Infectious Diseases, Barwon Health, Geelong, VIC, Australia
- 5Microbiology Unit, Alfred Pathology Service, Footscray Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- 6Australian HPV Reference Laboratory, Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- 7Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- 8Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Abstract
Introduction: Bloodstream infection (BSI) is a global healthcare concern, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) where diagnostic capacity and antimicrobial stewardship programs remain limited. Local data on bacterial causative agents and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remain scarce in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories, including Papua New Guinea (PNG). This study aimed to determine the prevalence, bacterial spectrum, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and distribution of bloodstream pathogens among patients attending Goroka Provincial Hospital in Papua New Guinea.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective laboratory surveillance study using routine blood culture data from Goroka Provincial Hospital. Bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility results were retrieved from Senaite Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and analysed using WHONET and SPSS.
Results: A total of 1,276 blood culture specimens were collected from patients with clinically suspected BSI, of which 141 (11.1%) yielded bacterial pathogens. Salmonella enterica servovar Typhi (S. Typhi) was the predominant isolate (72/141, 51.1%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (23/141, 16.3%). Most S. Typhi isolates were susceptible to first line antibiotics tested (98–100%), however, 45% were resistant to chloramphenicol. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) accounted for 60.9% of S. aureus isolates. Extended-spectrumβ-lactamase (ESBL)-positive Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were susceptible to meropenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, and amikacin.
Conclusion: Salmonella Typhi was the predominant cause of BSI and showed substantial chloramphenicol resistance, while phenotypically ESBL-positive bacteria were also detected. These findings underscore the need for continued laboratory-based AMR surveillance and locally informed antimicrobial stewardship and infection-prevention strategies in PNG.
Related
- Antimicrobial stewardship challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic: implications of antibiotic overuse and antimicrobial resistance.
- Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Surveillance: Ten Years On.
- Knowledge and attitudes toward antimicrobial use, resistance, and stewardship among final-year veterinary students: a multinational cross-sectional survey.
- Antimicrobial resistance in environment and wastewaters of a swine slaughterhouse – tracking ESKAPE bacteria and ESBL-/carbapenemase-producing Escherichia coli
- The Fleming Fund: Key Features of Design and Approach to Strengthening Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.
BibTeX
@article{toroi2026antimicrobial,
title = {{Antimicrobial resistance of bacteria isolated from blood cultures at a tertiary hospital in Papua New Guinea: implications for antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance}},
author = {Watson Toroi and Victor Musyoki and Becky Max and Donella Omena and Nomvuyo Mothobi and Kudakwashe Chani and Josephine Chanoan and Amrita Ronnachit},
journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1914935},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1914935},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Antimicrobial resistance of bacteria isolated from blood cultures at a tertiary hospital in Papua New Guinea: implications for antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance
AU - Watson Toroi
AU - Victor Musyoki
AU - Becky Max
AU - Donella Omena
AU - Nomvuyo Mothobi
AU - Kudakwashe Chani
AU - Josephine Chanoan
AU - Amrita Ronnachit
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/12
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1914935
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1914935
AB - Introduction: Bloodstream infection (BSI) is a global healthcare concern, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) where diagnostic capacity and antimicrobial stewardship programs remain limited. Local data on bacterial causative agents and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remain scarce in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories, including Papua New Guinea (PNG). This study aimed to determine the prevalence, bacterial spectrum, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and distribution of bloodstream pathogens among patients attending Goroka Provincial Hospital in Papua New Guinea. Methods: We conducted a retrospective laboratory surveillance study using routine blood culture data from Goroka Provincial Hospital. Bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility results were retrieved from Senaite Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and analysed using WHONET and SPSS. Results: A total of 1,276 blood culture specimens were collected from patients with clinically suspected BSI, of which 141 (11.1%) yielded bacterial pathogens. Salmonella enterica servovar Typhi (S. Typhi) was the predominant isolate (72/141, 51.1%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (23/141, 16.3%). Most S. Typhi isolates were susceptible to first line antibiotics tested (98–100%), however, 45% were resistant to chloramphenicol. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) accounted for 60.9% of S. aureus isolates. Extended-spectrumβ-lactamase (ESBL)-positive Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were susceptible to meropenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, and amikacin. Conclusion: Salmonella Typhi was the predominant cause of BSI and showed substantial chloramphenicol resistance, while phenotypically ESBL-positive bacteria were also detected. These findings underscore the need for continued laboratory-based AMR surveillance and locally informed antimicrobial stewardship and infection-prevention strategies in PNG.
SN - 2296-2565
ER -