OBJECTIVE To investigate the distribution and drug resistance of pathogens isolated from the elderly population with infections in Baotou, Inner Mongolia.

METHODS The clinical data were collected from 9268 elderly patients with infections (with no less than 60 years of age) who were treated in Baotou Medical College of Center Clinical Medical School and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College from 2017 to 2021 and were retrospectively analyzed. The 9268 samples were cultured for isolation of pathogens, the isolated pathogens were identified, and the drug susceptibility testing was performed.

RESULTS Totally 9268 strains of pathogens were isolated, 53.11% of which were gram-negative bacteria, 28.94% were gram-positive bacteria, and 17.95% were fungi. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the major species of gram-negative bacteria; Enterococci and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus were dominant among the gram-positive bacteria; Candida albicans was the predominant species of fungi. There were certain differences in the pathogens isolated from the elderly patients with infection between different sexes, among the different seasons and age groups. With respect to drug resistance, the gram-positive bacteria maintained highly sensitive to vancomycin and teicoplanin, while the drug resistance rates to ampicillin and penicillin were relatively high. The drug resistance rates of the gram-negative bacteria to carbapenems were relatively low, but the drug resistance rates to ampicillin and cefazolin were high.

CONCLUSIONS The gram-negative bacteria are dominant among the pathogens isolated from the elderly population with infections in Baotou City, Inner Mongolia; the distribution of pathogens is affected by the sex, age and season. There is serious problem with the drug resistance of pathogens, the strains are highly resistant to the commonly used antibiotics such as ampicillin and penicillin. It is necessary for the hospital to reasonably use antibiotics according to the epidemiological characteristics and drug resistance trends of the pathogens and optimize the strategies for clinical diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases.