Vancomycin-resistant enterococci in Saudi Arabia: prevalence, antibiotic resistance and susceptibility array

Abstract

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) are an important cause of nosocomial infection and may result in increased morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised populations particularly in developing contries. The aim of the present study was to reassess the definition of hospitalacquired Enterococci, with particular emphasis on the relevance of recent hospitalization.Total 228 Enterococci clinical samples were collected from different hospitals of Saudi Arabia. Sampling was performed following sub culturing, strains isolation and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Out of 228 Enterococci clinical isolates isolated in this study, 186 (82%) were susceptible to vancomycin, 17 (7%) were resistant and 25 (11%) were intermediate. Most of VRE isolated in our study were from Jeddah hospitals 11%. The most common infections caused by Enterococci in current study showed urinary tract infection (56.6%) followed by blood (12.3%) and wound infection (11.4%). Porportion of 87% and 13% Enterococci isolated in this study were from Saudi and non-Saudi patients respectively and were calculated statistically nonsignificant (p-value=0.4). This limited study exhibited a high pervasiveness rate of multiple antibiotic resistant Enterococci infections among hospitalized patients in this environment. There is need for precise observations of clinics and hospitals for Enterococci infections; prudent use and rational prescription of antimicrobials and stringent measures to reduce the prevalence rate by health education on infection control measures such as isolation, cleaning, disinfection and