Rapid increase in the prevalence of high-level aminoglycoside resistance among enterococci isolated from blood cultures during 1989-1991.
At St Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center in Youngstown, Ohio, USA, the first blood culture isolate of Enterococcus faecalis with high-level gentamicin resistance (MIC > 2000 mg/L) was seen in 1985, and the prevalence of high-level gentamicin resistance among enterococci isolated from blood cultures during 1985-8 was 9%. During the period 1989-91, the prevalence of high-level gentamicin resistance among enterococci isolated from blood cultures increased to 35% (44 of 126 strains). Increases in the prevalence of high-level resistance to amikacin, tobramycin, netilmicin, kanamycin and streptomycin were also demonstrated. Ten of 44 strains (23%) with high-level gentamicin resistance did not exhibit high-level resistance to streptomycin. Of the 126 strains of enterococci, 52% had high-level resistance to at least one aminoglycoside.
Watanakunakorn
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Department of Internal Medicine, St Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center, Youngstown, Ohio 44501-1790.
D000617:Aminoglycosides; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
D000617:Aminoglycosides; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents