Aim: To determine the bacteriology of mechanically ventilated patients and to know about incidence of ventilator associated pneumonia in a tertiary care hospital. Ventilator associated pneumonia is the commonest hospital acquired infection in ICUs. It is associated with increased morbidity and mortality of ICU patients. Early diagnosis of ventilator associated pneumonia is crucial to save the patient. Materials and Method: 100 patients who were admitted to medical ICU and were on mechanical

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... ilation for more than 48 hours were included in the study group. Under strict aseptic precautions endotracheal aspirates and suction tips were collected from the patients and were subjected to Gram staining, culture, biochemical tests and sensitivity. The patients were divided into early onset VAP and late onset VAP cases. VAP cases were identified by using clinical pulmonary infection scoring system. Results: Incidence of VAP in the study was 21%. There was no association between gender difference and incidence of VAP. All culture positive cases are not VAP cases. Among the isolates obtained Gram negative bacilli were the commonest, Acinetobacter taking the first place followed by Pseudomonas. Most of them were resistant to commonly used antibiotics.