Cefoxitin-induced antibiotic resistance in Enterobacter species in the community hospital.
The aim of this study was to determine whether beta-lactamases could be induced by cefoxitin in the community hospital, since this problem of antibiotic resistance has been shown to exist at the tertiary care level. One hundred sixty-six Enterobacter species isolated from patients in two community hospitals in Dayton, Ohio, were tested for cefoxitin induction of beta-lactamase production by a disk-approximation method. Piperacillin and cefoxitin disks were placed in approximation to each other on Mueller-Hinton plates inoculated with Enterobacter species with appropriate controls. Three Enterobacter strains (1.8%) showed truncation of the zone of inhibition (indicating beta-lactamase induction) with sensitivity to both cefoxitin and piperacillin. However, 84 strains (50.6%) showed truncation around the piperacillin disk with resistance to cefoxitin. One hundred fifty (90.0%) strains showed resistance to cefoxitin. These data indicate that cefoxitin induction of beta-lactamases in Enterobacter species is indeed a potential problem in incurring antibiotic resistance in the community hospital.
Haddy
R I
RI
Department of Family Practice, Wright State University School of Medicine, Dayton, Ohio.
Doughman
L A
LA
Elder
B L
BL
Markert
R J
RJ
D002440:Cefoxitin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004754:Enterobacter / Q000187:drug effects*; D005194:Family Practice; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D001618:beta-Lactamases
D002440:Cefoxitin; D001618:beta-Lactamases