Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus spp and Staphylococcus spp isolated from surfaces in a veterinary teaching hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of enterococci and staphylococci collected from environmental surfaces at a veterinary teaching hospital (VTH).


METHODS
Longitudinal study.


METHODS
Samples collected from surfaces in 5 areas (emergency and critical care, soft tissue and internal medicine, and orthopedic wards; surgery preparation and recovery rooms; and surgery office and operating rooms) of a VTH.


METHODS
Selected surfaces were swabbed every 3 months during the 3-year study period (2007 to 2009). Isolates of enterococci and staphylococci were identified via biochemical tests, and antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated with a microbroth dilution technique. A subset of isolates was analyzed to assess clonality by use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.


RESULTS
430 samples were collected, and isolates of enterococci (n = 75) and staphylococci (110) were identified. Surfaces significantly associated with isolation of Enterococcus spp and Staphylococcus spp included cages and a weight scale. Fourteen Enterococcus spp isolates and 17 Staphylococcus spp isolates were resistant to ≥ 5 antimicrobials. Samples collected from the scale throughout the study suggested an overall increase in antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus faecium over time. Clonality was detected for E faecium isolates collected from 2 different surfaces on the same day.


CONCLUSIONS
Although not surprising, the apparent increase in antimicrobial resistance of E faecium was of concern because of the organism's ability to transmit antimicrobial resistance genes to other pathogens. Results reported here may aid in identification of critical control points to help prevent the spread of pathogens in VTHs.
Center for Comparative Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Elizabeth
E
Hamilton
John B
JB
Kaneene
Katherine J
KJ
May
John M
JM
Kruger
William
W
Schall
Matthew W
MW
Beal
Joe G
JG
Hauptman
Charles E
CE
DeCamp
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field / Q000662:veterinary; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D006762:Hospitals, Animal; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents