title: Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of microorganisms isolated from sputa of patients with cystic fibrosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  New emerging pathogens and associated antimicrobial resistance mechanisms have been observed in the respiratory tract of patients suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF) in the last years. Amongst others, the rate of metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL)-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains is growing. However, there are no published data on the prevalence of MBL-producing P. aeruginosa in CF patients to our knowledge.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 271 sputum samples of 60 CF patients were collected during a 12-months period. Microbiological cultures and antimicrobial susceptibility tests of the most frequently isolated bacteria were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  464 bacterial and 414 fungal strains were isolated and characterized. 63.3% of the patients harbored Staphylococcus aureus, 50% P. aeruginosa, 16.6% Haemophilus influenzae, 15% Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and 13.3% non tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM). Methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and MBL-producing P. aeruginosa were detected in 3 (5%) and 5 (8.3%) patients respectively. Among the fungi, Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans showed the highest prevalence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The detection of MBL-producing P. aeruginosa and MRSA in CF patients confirms that antimicrobial resistance patterns should be always kept under surveillance. Moreover hygiene regulations in CF clinics should prevent a further spread of resistant bacterial strains.
authors: Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Germany. gvalenza@hygiene.uni-wuerzburg.de
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Valenza
authors: Dennis
authors: D
authors: Tappe
authors: Doris
authors: D
authors: Turnwald
authors: Matthias
authors: M
authors: Frosch
authors: Corinne
authors: C
authors: König
authors: Helge
authors: H
authors: Hebestreit
authors: Marianne
authors: M
authors: Abele-Horn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*