[Resistant microorganisms in patients transferred from foreign hospitals].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of carriers of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and gentamicin-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (GGNB) in patients repatriated from foreign hospitals to The Netherlands.


METHODS
Determination of prevalence.


METHODS
In the period May 1998-August 2001, 1167 patients were repatriated. Swab specimens, demographic data and clinical data were obtained during the transfer.


RESULTS
The prevalence of carriers of resistant microorganisms was 18.2%. MRSA was carried by 2.7% of the total repatriated group and by 4.7% of patients transferred to a Dutch hospital. Risk factors were antimicrobial treatment (odds ratio (OR): 3.4; 95% CI: 1.2-9.7), length of stay in a foreign hospital > or = 14 days (OR: 5.4; 95% CI: 2.3-12) and artificial ventilation (OR: 8.5; 95% CI: 1.8-41). VRE and GGNB were isolated from 2.7% and 14.1% of patients, respectively. Transfer from Asia or southern, south-eastern and eastern Europe were risk factors for carrying GGNB.


CONCLUSIONS
Carriership of resistant microorganisms was high among repatriated patients. The highest risk of GGNB was more closely associated with the country from which the patient was transferred than the antimicrobial treatment received in the foreign hospital.
Kaiser
A M
AM
VU Medisch Centrum, afd. Medische Microbiologie en Infectiepreventie, Postbus 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam.
Schultsz
C
C
Kruithof
G J
GJ
Debets-Ossenkopp
Y J
YJ
Vandenbroucke-Grauls
C M J E
CM
D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance
D005839:Gentamicins