Prevalence of Multidrug Resistant Enterococci in a Tertiary Care Hospital in India: A Growing Threat

Abstract

Introduction: Enterococci are members of the healthy human intestinal flora, but are also leading causes of highly antibiotic-resistant infections. Serious enterococcal infections are often difficult to treat since the organisms have a tremendous capacity to acquire resistance to penicillin, high concentration of aminoglycoside & vancomycin. Careful review of in vitro susceptibility data is required to treat infections caused by MDR Enterococci. Therefore we conducted the study to find out prevalence of MDR Enterococci. Aims & Objectives: To study the prevalence of Vancomycin resistance, High Level Streptomycin Resistance (HLSR) & High Level Gentamicin Resistance (HLGR) in different enterococcal isolates. Materials & Methods: Total 180 enterococcal isolates were studied. Identification was done by conventional biochemical methods. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method on Mueller–Hinton agar and results were interpreted as per CLSI guidelines. HLSR & HLGR was determined by disc diffusion method using high level Gentamicin disc (120 µg) & Streptomycin (300 µg) discs. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination for Vancomycin was done by vancomycin E test strips. Results: Total 180 entetococcal isolates were studied. E. faecalis was 60%, E. faecium was 32.2%, E. durans and E. raffinosus were 4.4% & 3.3% respectively. Enterococcus fecium showed resistance in high percentage as compared to E. faecalis. 15 isolates were found to be vancomycin resistant. Conclusion: Resistance to aminoglycoside is of great concern. Regular screening of enterococcal isolates for vancomycin resistance detection should be implemented. It is very important to implement infection control measures, screening of health care workers, surveillance cultures in intensive care units which can control spread of multidrug resistant enterococci.