Ciprofloxacin-resistant Escherichia coli from bacteraemias in England; increasingly prevalent and mostly from men.
OBJECTIVE
To assess ciprofloxacin resistance among Escherichia coli isolates from bacteraemia patients in England in relation to age, sex and Region.


METHODS
Routine susceptibility data for bacteraemia isolates were collected from over 90% of hospitals in England.


RESULTS
During 1995-2001, the prevalence of ciprofloxacin resistance trebled, from 2.1% to 6.5%. Isolates from men were more frequently resistant than those from women, possibly because infections in men more often involve nosocomial strains. Resistance was rare (<1.5%) in isolates from patients aged <1 year; among older patients, resistance was unrelated to age in isolates from women, but peaked in the 15-44 age group for men.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of ciprofloxacin resistance in E. coli from bacteraemia is strongly associated with sex and, to a lesser extent, age.
Antibiotic Resistance Monitoring & Reference Laboratory, Specialist & Reference Microbiology Division, Health Protection Agency, London, UK. david.livermore@hpa.org.uk
David M
DM
Livermore
Tom
T
Nichols
Theresa L
TL
Lamagni
Nicola
N
Potz
Rosy
R
Reynolds
Georgia
G
Duckworth
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D012067:Religion; D012737:Sex Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin