title: Antimicrobial drug resistance in pathogens causing nosocomial infections at a university hospital in Taiwan, 1981-1999.
abstract: To determine the distribution and antimicrobial drug resistance in bacterial pathogens causing nosocomial infections, surveillance data on nosocomial infections documented from 1981 to 1999 at National Taiwan University Hospital were analyzed. During this period, 35,580 bacterial pathogens causing nosocomial infections were identified. Candida species increased considerably, ranking first by 1999 in the incidence of pathogens causing all nosocomial infections, followed by Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Candida species also increased in importance as bloodstream infection isolates, from 1.0% in 1981-1986 to 16.2% in 1999. The most frequent isolates from urinary tract infections were Candida species (23.6%), followed by Escherichia coli (18.6%) and P. aeruginosa (11.0%). P. aeruginosa remained the most frequent isolates for respiratory tract and surgical site infections in the past 13 years. A remarkable increase in incidence was found in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (from 4.3% in 1981-1986 to 58.9% in 1993-1998), cefotaxime-resistant E. coli (from 0% in 1981-1986 to 6.1% in 1993-1998), and cefotaxime-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (from 4.0% in 1981-1986 to 25.8% in 1993-1998). Etiologic shifts in nosocomial infections and an upsurge of antimicrobial resistance among these pathogens, particularly those isolated from intensive care units, are impressive and alarming.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7 Chung-Shan Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Po-Ren
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Hsueh
authors.forename: Mei-Ling
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chun-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Wen-Hwei
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hui-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Li-Seh
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Shan-Chwen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Shen-Wu
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Chin-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Wei-Chuan
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Kwen-Tay
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Luh
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000494:pharmacology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002439:Cefotaxime