Background: One of the main causes of illness and mortality in pediatric populations, especially in developing nations, is blood stream infections (BSIs). To enhance treatment results, it is essential to promptly identify the pathogenic organisms and the patterns of antibiotic resistance they exhibit.

Objective: To assess the antibiogram and bacteriological profile of blood culture isolates in children at a north Indian tertiary care facility.

Methods: 200 children with suspected BSIs, ages 0 to 18, participated in this 18-month hospital-based observational study. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out in accordance with CLSI guidelines, and blood cultures were processed using normal microbiological procedures.

Results: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E.coli, and Klebsiella were the most common gram-negative bacteria among the isolates. Among gram positive Staphylococcus aures and Coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) were isolated. A significant prevalence of antimicrobial resistance was observed, particularly among Gram-negative isolates, with high resistance to cephalosporins and carbapenems. MRSA strains showed resistance to multiple agents but remained susceptible to vancomycin and linezolid. MRSA strains showed resistance to multiple agents but remained susceptible to vancomycin and linezolid.

Conclusion: The result shows the urgent need for local surveillance of antimicrobial resistance patterns in pediatric BSIs. To enhance clinical results and prevent the emergence of resistance, empirical antibiotic regimens need to be modified often to reflect local resistance trends.