A Study to Assess the Bacterial Pathogens of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia in the Intensive Care Unit Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in South India

Pneumonia is a common illness affecting approximately 450 million people a year and occurring in all part of the world. It is the major cause of death among all age groups, resulting in 1.4 million deaths in 2010. One of the distinct subgroups of Pneumonia is ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). It refers to the development of parenchymal lung infection after a patient has undergone intubation and received mechanical ventilation (MV) for 48 hours. In spite of the recent advances in the diagnosis and management of VAP it continues to be a major cause of hospital morbidity and mortality. This study will attempt to identify the bacterial pathogens causing VAP in the ICU and to determine their Antimicrobial Susceptibility profile. Local data collected in this study can assist in making informed treatment choices. Knowledge of incidence of VAP, their causative microbial flora in a local setting along with information on the susceptibility patterns will help in selection of the appropriate antibiotics for therapeutic use and a better outcome.