We report here a fast and reliable technique for rapid screening of qnr-positive strains to be used for epidemiological surveys. A low prevalence of Qnr determinants among ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae was identified in the study with Kuwaiti isolates.

No abstract

An indwelling J ureteral stent carries a significant risk of bacteriuria and stent colonization. The sensitivity of urine culture to stent colonization is low, and therefore, a negative culture does not rule out a colonized stent. Bacteria cultured from urine after stent insertion and from the stents are more resistant to antibiotics than are those cultured from urine before stent insertion. Norfloxacin or ciprofloxacin is recommended as prophylaxis prior to stent insertion, and an aminoglycoside can be added to treat symptomatic patients with severe infections.

The purpose of this study was to determine the microbiological profile of diabetic foot infections (DFIs) and assess the antibiotic susceptibility of the causative agents. Data were obtained from a retrospective analysis of DFI samples collected from June 2007 to July 2008. Specimens were cultured using optimal aerobic and anaerobic microbiological techniques, and antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed according to the methods recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production was measured using the double disk synergy test and the ESBL Etest. A total of 440 patients were diagnosed with DFIs during this period, and a total of 777 pathogens were isolated from these patients with an average of 1.8 pathogens per lesion. We isolated more Gram-negative pathogens (51.2%) than Gram-positive pathogens (32.3%) or anaerobes (15.3%). Polymicrobial infection was identified in 75% of the patients. The predominant organisms isolated were members of the Enterobacteriaceae family (28.5%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (17.4%), Staphylococcus aureus (11.8%), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (7.7%), anaerobic Gram-negative organisms (10.8%), and Enterococcus spp. (7%). Vancomycin was the most effective treatment for Gram-positive bacteria, and imipenem, piperacillin-tazobactam and amikacin were the most effective treatments for the Gram-negative bacteria. In conclusion, DFI is common among diabetic patients in Kuwait, and most of the cases evaluated in this study displayed polymicrobial etiology. The majority of isolates were multi-drug resistant. The data gathered in this study will be beneficial for future determinations of empirical therapy policies for the management of DFIs.

To establish the role of local transmission versus possible pathogen import due to previous foreign exposure in infections caused by carbapenem non-susceptible Enterobacteriaceae in the Arabian Peninsula, 200 independent isolates collected in 16 hospitals of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates were studied. All strains were multidrug resistant; 42.5% of them also qualified as extremely drug resistant. The frequency of various carbapenemases varied according to the participating countries, but in the collection, as a whole, bla NDM-1 was the most frequently encountered carbapenemase gene (46.5%) followed by bla OXA-48-like gene (32.5%). A comparatively high rate (8.9%) of multi-clonal strains carrying both bla NDM and bla OXA-48-like genes in the United Arab Emirates, representing the most resistant subgroup, was encountered. No KPC-expressing isolates were detected. Three major clones of bla NDM-1 carrying Klebsiella pneumoniae of ST152 (n = 22, Saudi Arabia), ST14 (n = 7, United Arab Emirates) and ST147 types (n = 9, Oman) were identified, the latter two clones carrying similar, but not identical HI1b incompatibility type plasmids of >170kb. While from 78.6% of the cases with documented foreign hospitalization bla NDM positive strains were isolated, these strains formed only 25.6% of all the isolates expressing this enzyme. In fact, 56.8% of the NDM, 75.7% of OXA-48-like and 90.9% of VIM positive strains were recovered from patients without documented foreign exposure, neither in the form of travel or prior hospitalization abroad, suggesting a high rate of autochthonous infections. This, considering the extensive links of these countries to the rest of the world, predicts that trends in the local epidemiology of carbapenem resistant strains may increasingly affect the spread of these pathogens on the global scale. These results call for improved surveillance of carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula.

Cephalosporins are major antimicrobials used to treat serious Salmonella infections. However, their effectiveness is being compromised by the emergence of extended-spectrum b-lactamases (ESBLs). The genetic determinants encoding ESBL in Salmonella spp. isolated from patients in Kuwait and United Arab Emirates (UAE) were studied over a 2 year period. Out of a total of 407 isolates, 116 isolates possessed the resistance phenotypes consistent with possible ESBL production. Of these, 69 (59.5 %) were ESBL positive. PCR and sequencing were used to determine the genetic determinant(s) responsible for ESBL phenotypes. A total of 14 (12.1 %) and 29 (24.6 %) isolates were CTX-M-15 ESBL producers and TEM producers, respectively. Ten CTX-M-15 producers carried the insertion sequence ISEcpI gene. PFGE analysis revealed identical profiles in 4 of the 13 Kuwaiti strains. This study reports the presence of the bla CTX-M-15 gene in Salmonella spp. and Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi from Kuwait and UAE for what is believed to be the first time. This is of great concern as the gene is also found in association with the ISEcpI gene, which may easily facilitate its spread. These isolates originated mostly from nonKuwaiti Arabs rather than from people of Asian origin. INTRODUCTIONSalmonella spp. are an important cause of enteric fever and gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. The organisms are transmitted by contaminated food and inadequate hygiene. Typhoidal and serious invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella spp. infections are usually treated with antimicrobial agents. Fluoroquinolones and b-lactams are the drugs of choice for invasive salmonella infections. However, resistance has emerged to various classes of antibiotics in many parts of the world with the spread of resistant strains. Both health care-associated outbreaks and community outbreaks have been reported (Arlet et al., 2006).In Salmonella, resistance to cephalosporins is largely due to production of extended-spectrum b-lactamases (ESBLs). Most ESBLs in Salmonella are derivatives of TEM and SHV b-lactamase families. Other groups, including PER and CTX-M types, have been described recently (Bonnet, 2004;Bradford, 2001). Also, b-lactamases belonging to either Ambler class B (metallo-b-lactamase) or class A, such as KPC-2, able to hydrolyse carbapenems, have been described (Miriagou et al., 2003).CTX-M type ESBLs or cefotaximases, belong to class A blactamases and are encoded by bla CTX-M genes located in a plasmid or on the chromosome (Rodriguez et al., 2004). Different elements may be involved in the mobilization of bla CTX-M genes. Studies with plasmids have confirmed the potential involvement of the insertion sequence ISEcp1 in the mobility of bla CTX-M (Cao et al., 2002). CTX-M enzymes comprise a rapidly growing family of enzymes disseminated in several parts of the world (Bonnet, 2004). A concern is the fact that CTX-M type ESBLs display a level of resistance to cefotaxime (Ctx) and ceftriaxone (Cro) significantly higher than that to ceftazidime (Caz) (Bradford, 2001),...

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is an under-appreciated threat to public health in nations around the globe. With globalization booming, it is important to understand international patterns of resistance. If countries already experience similar patterns of resistance, it may be too late to worry about international spread. If large countries or groups of countries that are likely to leap ahead in their integration with the rest of the worldChina being the standout case -have high and distinctive patterns of resistance, then a coordinated response could substantially help to control the spread of resistance. The literature to date provides only limited evidence on these issues.

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of New Delhi metallo-β lactamase-1 (NDM-1) producing Enterobacteriaceae in Kuwait over a one year period. Consecutive Enterobacteriaceae isolates with reduced susceptibility to carbapenems were collected from four government hospitals in Kuwait from January–December 2014. Their susceptibility to 18 antibiotics was performed by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration. Isolates resistant to carbapenems were tested by PCR for resistant genes. Finger printing of the positive isolates was done by DiversiLab®. Clinical data of patients harboring NDM-1 positive isolates were analyzed. A total of 764 clinically significant Enterobacteriaceae isolates were studied. Of these, 61 (8%) were carbapenem-resistant. Twenty one out of these 61 (34.4%) were NDM-1-producers. All patients positive for NDM-1-carrying bacteria were hospitalized. About half were females (11/21 [52.3%]), average age was 53.3 years and the majority were Kuwaitis (14/21 [66.6%]). Six patients (28.5%) gave a history of travel or healthcare contact in an endemic area. Mortality rate was relatively high (28.6%). The predominant organism was Klebsiella pneumoniae (14 [66.6%]) followed by E. coli (4 [19%]). All NDM-1-positive isolates were resistant to meropenem, ertapenem, cefotaxime, cefoxitin and ampicillin, while 95.2% were resistant to imipenem, cefepime, and piperacillin-tazobactam. They were multidrug resistant including resistance to tigecycline, but 90% remained susceptible to colistin. About two-thirds of isolates (61.9%) co-produced-extended spectrum β-lactamases. During the study period, an outbreak of NDM-1 positive K. pneumoniae occurred in one hospital involving 3 patients confirmed by DiversiLab® analysis. In conclusion, NDM-1-producing Enterobacteriaceae is a growing healthcare problem with increasing prevalence in Kuwait, especially in hospitalized patients, leaving few therapeutic options. A high prevalence of NDM-1 necessitates the implementation of strict infection control to prevent the spread of these organisms.