Antimicrobial Resistance of Enterococcus Species Isolated from Urine Cultures

Abstract

Objective: Enterococcus species are among the common causes of nosocomial urinary tract infections mainly, along with other infections and have been observed to have increasing rates of resistance against antimicrobial agents in recent years. The aim of this study is to determine the Enterococcus spp. isolated from urine cultures in our hospital and to determine antibiotic resistance rates. Methods: Enterococcus isolates identification and antibiogram results obtained from urine samples sent to Ordu University Education and Research Hospital Microbiology laboratory from inpatients and outpatients were retrospectively evaluated. The identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests of the isolates were completed on a VITEK 2 Compact (Biomerieux, Marcy l'Etoile, France) system. Resistance rates against ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, nitrofurantoin, tigecycline, linezolid, teicoplanin and vancomycin were analyzed. Results: Our study identified 346 Enterococcus strains. These strains were defined as 195 Enterococcus faecalis (56%), 127 Enterococcus faecium (37%) and 24 other enterococci (7%). The antimicrobials with highest resistance were ciprofloxacin (51%), ampicillin (42%), nitrofurantoin (14%) and tigecycline (1%), in order, with no resistance encountered for linezolid, teicoplanin and vancomycin. Conclusion: Glycopeptide resistance were not encountered among enterococci isolated from urine cultures in our hospital, with quinolone resistance at the fore. The results of antimicrobial susceptibility tests are important to select appropriate treatments.