Clinical features of nosocomial infections by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in neonatal intensive care units.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the risk factors for the acquisition of nosocomial extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae infection in infants hospitalized in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and to evaluate the therapeutic outcome of these infants.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of infants with nosocomial ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae infection hospitalized in NICUs at Chang Gung Children's Hospital in 2001. The clinical features of these infants were compared with a cohort of non-ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae-infected infants during the same period. The therapeutic outcome of the infants in the ESBL group was analysed.


RESULTS
Seventy infants were included in this study. Thirty-one infants with 34 isolates were identified in the ESBL group and 39 infants with 42 isolates in the non-ESBL group. Of the parameters analysed, including gestational age, birthweight, length of hospital stay before onset, the number of antibiotics used, the duration of third-generation cephalosporin usage and the number of patients receiving a third-generation cephalosporin prior to the onset of infection, no significant difference was found between the two groups. The infection-contributed case fatality rate was 3.0% (1 of 33) in the ESBL group, not significantly different from that in the non-ESBL group (1 of 41, 2.4%). Of the 31 patients in the ESBL group, 18 were treated with a carbapenem as definitive therapy while 13 were treated with a non-carbapenem antibiotic regimen. No significant difference was noted in terms of mortality rate between the two subgroups.


CONCLUSIONS
The outcome of the infants hospitalized in the NICU with ESBL-producing enterobacterial infections was not indispensably grave, even when treated with a non-carbapenem antibiotic regimen. The risk factors for the acquisition of ESBL-producing enterobacterial infections in these infants were not identified in this series.
Chiu
Shun
S
Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Huang
Yhu-Chering
YC
Lien
Rey-In
RI
Chou
Yi-Hong
YH
Lin
Tzou-Yien
TY
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015780:Carbapenems / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018440:beta-Lactam Resistance; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000378:metabolism
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015780:Carbapenems; D001618:beta-Lactamases