Microbiological Monitoring: Sisyphean Labor?

Abstract

Comparison of the presented here results by Niyazi et al. with data published 20-30 years ago (4) (e.g., 85.7% of CoNS vs 66% respectively) can give an impression of a relatively stable bacteriological landscape with the constant predominance of CoNS or at least its slow modification. This is not correct. Data obtained from 39 centers in 18 countries and analysis of 847 articles and 322 abstracts demonstrated a huge range of reported ratios of Gram-positive:Gram-negative isolates varied from 85%:15% to 26%:74% in the adult and from 81%:31% to 14%:69% in the pediatric population with 33% to 100% MR-CoNS (Niyazi et al. demonstrate 100%, both numbers are for the adult population) (5). The possibility of a rapid change should be taken into account as well. Therefore, for guiding and well-timed modification of the optimal empirical therapy, a permanent comprehensive local analysis of current epidemiology and resistance pattern are not Sisyphean labor but of paramount importance.