Effect of hospitalization on the antibiotic resistance of fecal Enterococcus faecalis of surgical patients over time

S.S.M. Nys, N. Bruinsma, P.M. Filius, A. van den Bogaard, L.R.M. Hoffman, P.H. Terporten, A.C. Wildeboer Veloo, J. Degener, H.P. Endtz, E.E. Stobberingh*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The prevalence of antibiotic resistant Enterococcus faecalis was determined in fecal samples of 263 patients admitted to the surgical wards of three university-affiliated hospitals on admission, at discharge, and at 1 and 6 months after discharge. A slight increase in the prevalence of antibiotic resistance of E. faecalis was found at discharge for the antibiotics tested compared to those on admission, vancomycin excepted. At 6 months after discharge, the prevalence of resistance for amoxicillin (0%), ciprofloxacin (3%), erythromycin (47%), and oxytetracycline (60%) decreased to the level on admission (respectively 0%, 8%, 45%, and 64%). Gentamicin resistance was the same at discharge (10%) as 1 month later (12%), but decreased 6 months after discharge (8%) to the level on admission (7%). In conclusion, hospitalization resulted in the study population in a slight increase in the prevalence of resistant fecal E. faecalis isolates at discharge, which decreased again (slowly) to the level on admission 6 months after discharge. Thus, the influence of hospitalization on the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in the extramural situation disappears between 1 and 6 months after discharge in this population.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)154-158
JournalMicrobial Drug Resistance
Volume11
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2005

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