Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important opportunistic pathogen increasingly associated with multidrug resistance (MDR) and therapeutic failure. Data on MDR community-associated P. aeruginosa in southern Morocco remain limited. This study evaluated the contribution of urban diagnostic laboratories to the surveillance of MDR P. aeruginosa in this underrepresented region. A retrospective multicenter study was conducted between January and December 2024 using data collected from urban medical diagnostic laboratories in southern Morocco. Clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa recovered from community-associated patients were identified using standard microbiological methods, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed according to EUCAST guidelines. MDR was defined as non-susceptibility to at least one agent in three or more antimicrobial classes according to the international criteria. Associations between MDR status and demographic variables were assessed using Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Among the 49 P. aeruginosa isolates included, 29 (59.2%, 95% CI: 45.4–72.0%) were classified as MDR. High resistance rates were observed for several β-lactams, whereas most isolates remained susceptible to amikacin and selected β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations. No statistically significant association was found between MDR status and demographic variables. These findings highlight the circulation of MDR P. aeruginosa in southern Morocco and suggest that urban diagnostic laboratories may provide valuable complementary data for community-level antimicrobial resistance surveillance.

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