Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Common and Unusual Enterococcus species Isolated from Clinical Specimens

Multidrug-resistant enterococci are emerging as a leading nosocomial pathogen. Knowledge of the antimicrobial resistance profile is essential to formulate treatment guidelines for infections caused by enterococci. A total of 260 enterococcal strains were isolated from various clinical specimens between March 2004 and December 2005 at the Department of Microbiology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India. They were speciated, and an antimicrobial susceptibility pattern was determined in 72 percent of strains isolated. E. faecalis was the most common species in all clinical specimens except in blood cultures in which E. faecium was more common (50%). Polymicrobial infection was noted in 46 (17%) of the isolates. The maximum susceptibility was observed with vancomycin (98%), followed by teicoplanin (88%), linezolid (79%), novobiocin (78%), spectinomycin (55%), and doxycycline (51%). Obtaining effective control of multidrug-resistant enterococci would require prudent antibiotic usage, better isolation procedures in hospital and other patient care environments, and also improved and rapid surveillance measures. (J Infect Dis Antimicrob Agents 2007;24:55-62.) *Senior Professor & Head, M.D. (Microbiology), Department of Microbiology, PGIMS,Rohtak. **Senior Resident, M.D. (Microbiology), Department of Microbiology, PGIMER Chandigarh. ***Associate Professor, M.D. (Microbiology), Department of Microbiology, PGIMS, Rohtak. Received for publication: April 20, 2007. Reprint request: Dr. Aparna, Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Pt. B.D. Sharma, PGIMS, Rohtak-124001 E-mail: [email protected]