Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of microorganisms isolated from sputa of patients with cystic fibrosis.
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.
Valenza
Giuseppe
G
Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Germany. gvalenza@hygiene.uni-wuerzburg.de
Tappe
Dennis
D
Turnwald
Doris
D
Frosch
Matthias
M
König
Corinne
C
Hebestreit
Helge
H
Abele-Horn
Marianne
M
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*