Introduction: Enterococci are recognized as opportunistic pathogens, as well as commensals in both humans and animals. They are an important cause of nosocomial infections, difficult to treat, as the organism have intrinsic and acquired resistance to many antibiotics.
Aim:To isolate and identify clinically relevant Enterococcus up to species level from all the clinical samples processed in the microbiology laboratory and also to study their resistance pattern. Results: E. faecalis (n=169, 84.5%) was the predominant species isolated, followed by E. faecium (n=27, 13.5%) and E. casseliflavus (n=4, 2%). A total of 25 (12.5%) isolates were HLGR, 13 (6.5%) isolates were HLSR and 62 (31%) isolates were HLGR+HLSR. Vancomycin resistance was found in 14 (7%) isolates of which 11 (78.5%) were Van A and 3 (21.4%) were Van B, detected phenotypically as per relative MIC of vancomycin and teicoplanin. Linezolid resistance was seen in 4 (2%) of isolates which were vancomycin as well as high-level gentamycin and high-level streptomycin resistant.
Materials and Methods
Conclusion:Isolation of Enterococcus species resistant to most of the higher antibiotics like vancomycin and linezolid, with high prevalence of High-Level Aminoglycoside Resistance (HLAR), from hospitalized patients is a major concern as such isolates have limited or no therapeutic option. cumulative data collection system. Hence, the present study was aimed at detecting the antimicrobial resistance pattern among Enterococcus isolates obtained from clinical specimens at a tertiary care centre in Western Uttar Pradesh, with a special emphasis on aminoglycoside, vancomycin and linezolid resistance and to discuss the therapeutic option on those multidrug resistant enterococcal isolates.
MATERIALS AND METHODSA total of 15342 clinical samples (urine, blood, pus, genital swab, others) were collected from patients suspected of bacterial infection visiting the IPD/OPD of Subharti Medical College, Meerut between May 2014 to April 2015. All the samples were processed in the Microbiology department using standard microbiological techniques for isolation and identification. All samples except blood were cultured on blood agar, chocolate agar and MacConkey's agar plate and incubated at 37°C for 24 and 48 hours. The plates were observed for growths which were identified using standard bacteriological guidelines [2]. Blood received for culture was processed in BacT/ ALERT ® 3D system (Biomerieux) and sub cultured on above mentioned solid media after positive flagging.Out of 15342 samples, 5370 (35%) were culture positive. The Enterococcus species were identified upto species level by Gram stain, catalase test, 6.5% NaCl tolerance test, heat tolerance test, bile esculin test and a set of biochemical tests i.e., arginine, Garima Yadav et al., Linezolid and Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci: A Therapeutic Problem www.jcdr.net