BACTERIOLOGICAL PROFILE AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY OF BLOOD CULTURE ISOLATES FROM CHEMOTHERAPY- INDUCED NEUTROPENIC CANCER PATIENTS

. The current study’s findings indicate that Gram-negative bacilli were more prevalent than Grampositive cocci in the blood cultures of cancer patients. However, there is an emerging trend of Grampositive cocci. The high prevalence of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli and Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a matter of concern. These results emphasize the importance of implementing antibiotic stewardship across clinical settings. It is crucial to restrict the use of antibiotics and instead opt for narrow-spectrum antibiotics based on culture reports whenever feasible.