title: Prevalence and drug susceptibility of pathogens causing bloodstream infections in northern Italy: a two-year study in 16 hospitals.
abstract: The epidemiology of bacterial pathogens causing bloodstream infection was studied in 16 hospitals in Lombardy (northern Italy) over a 2-year period (1999 and 2000). Overall, 2924 microorganisms causing significant bacteremia were collected. The most frequent isolates were Escherichia coli ( n=663; 22.7%), Staphylococcus aureus ( n=534; 18.3%), Staphylococcus epidermidis ( n=242; 8.2%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ( n=176; 6.0%). Unlike Escherichia coli, which was usually acquired from the community, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were usually acquired in hospitals. Rates of resistance to oxacillin and its associated traits were significantly higher among hospital-acquired staphylococci as compared to those of isolates from the community. Escherichia coli was highly susceptible to extended-spectrum cephalosporins, with a very low percentage of strains producing extended-spectrum ss-lactamases (ESBLs). On the contrary, production of ESBL appeared to be an important mechanism of resistance among nosocomial isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Resistance to ciprofloxacin was widespread in several members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, with rates often exceeding 10%. Moreover, with regard to ciprofloxacin, there were no significant differences between rates of resistance among Enterobacteriaceae causing hospital-acquired infections versus those causing community-acquired infections. Multidrug resistance was commonly observed in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, indicating the need for new antimicrobial agents that are more active against nonfermentative gram-negative bacteria. In conclusion, epidemiological studies of the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of blood isolates in northern Italy appear to provide useful information for both empirical treatment of suspected infections and better management of patients.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Microbiologia, Università dell'Insubria e Ospedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi, Viale Borri 57, 21100 Varese, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Luzzaro
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Viganò
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fossati
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grossi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sturla
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saudelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toniolo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents