title: Prevalence of colonisation with third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in ICU patients of Heidelberg University Hospitals.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess colonisation and transmission of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) from patients in 16 intensive care units. A prospective, repetitive point prevalence survey was performed over 6 months, involving samples from 1851 patients. CRE were isolated from 186 (10%) patients, with Enterobacter spp. being the most common. Mean point prevalence rates were significantly higher for paediatric wards (22.5%) compared to surgical (8.1%) and medical (5.5%) units. All CRE isolates were typed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Non-outbreak nosocomial transmission rates of these pathogens were calculated as 12.8% for paediatric patients, compared to 6.8% for adult patients, which may reflect differences in sensitivity to overgrowth with resistant bacteria and contact with health care workers.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany. heike.von-baum@medizin.uni-ulm.de
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: von Baum
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wendt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D018550:Cephalosporin Resistance; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004754:Enterobacter / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005858:Germany; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins