title: [Surveillance of carbapenem-resistant enterobacteria in stool cultures in a university hospital in Santiago, Chile].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical cultures detect only one-third of colonized patients with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. Early identification and contact precautions implementation would help to interrupt transmission. In our hospital no carbapenemase-producing enterobacteria infections have been described.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To perform stool surveillance cultures in patients hospitalized in critical care unit with the purpose to detect carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriacea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rectal swabs were obtained of patients after five or more days of hospital stay, on a monthly basis from July to December 2011. Phenotypic assays (modified test Hodge and phenylboronic acid test) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) searching for six carbapenemases of group A and B of Ambler's classification were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During this period, 241 surveillance rectal cultures were performed. Thirty eight enterobacteria isolated from 30 patients presented a decreased susceptibility to carbapenems by agar dilution method. All PCR were negative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that despite the significant number of resistant isolates, patients hospitalized in our institution are not colonized with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. We highlight the importance of screening before having the problem in place.
authors: Departamento de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors: Catalina
authors: C
authors: Gutiérrez
authors: Jaime
authors: J
authors: Labarca
authors: Juan C
authors: JC
authors: Román
authors: Francia
authors: F
authors: Sanhueza
authors: Marcela
authors: M
authors: Moraga
authors: Aniela
authors: A
authors: Wozniak
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: García
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015780:Carbapenems / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002677:Chile; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology*; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015780:Carbapenems