Antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Enterococcus isolates in a five year period at a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Aim: Enterococci are present as a part of the normal gut flora which can cause many community- and hospital-acquired infections. It is essential to determine the antibiotic resistance profile in treatment of Enterococcus spp. In this study we aimed to determine the sub-species of Enterococcus spp and their antibiotic resistance profiles isolated from a tertiary hospital in a five-year period. Methods: The antibiotic resistance profiles of 2995 Enterococcus spp isolated from various clinical specimens of patients between January 2014 and December 2018 were reviewed in this retrospective cohort study. Results: Ampicillin resistance was very low (5.6%) in E. faecalis, but it was very high in E. faecium (91.8%). High level gentamycin, high level streptomycin and levofloxacin resistances were very high in all Enterococcus species and especially in E. faecium. Linezolid, tigecycline or daptomycin resistance was not determined in any Enterococcus isolates. Nitrofurantoin resistance (61.9%) and parenteral penicillin resistance (82.4%) were also very high in E. faecium isolates. Teicoplanin resistance was very low in E.faecalis (1.5%) isolates but approximately half (44.9%) of the E. faecium isolates were resistant to Teicoplanin. Vancomycin resistance was determined in 1.5% of E.faecalis isolates and in 45.5% of E. faecium isolates. Conclusion: In conclusion, we determined high resistance rates to many antibiotics in both E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates. Tigecyclin, linezolid and daptomycin resistance was not determined in any Enteroccus isolates. Vancomycin resistance was determined in 1.5% of E. faecalis isolates and in 45.5% of E. faecium isolates. This high rate of vancomycin resistance should be taken into account and studies should be conducted to eliminate this resistance.