Enterococcus: enemy within.

Aamer Ikram; K. A.  Karamat; Shahid A.  Abbasi; Zia-Ullah; Shahid Rafi; Gohar Zaman

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Enterococcus: enemy within.

Author(s)

Aamer Ikram MicroBiology Department, Armed Forces Institute Pathology (AFIP), Combined Militiary Hospital (CMH), Rawalpindi, Pakistan

K. A. Karamat MicroBiology Department, Armed Forces Institute Pathology (AFIP), Combined Militiary Hospital (CMH), Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Shahid A. Abbasi MicroBiology Department, Armed Forces Institute Pathology (AFIP), Combined Militiary Hospital (CMH), Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Zia-Ullah MicroBiology Department, Armed Forces Institute Pathology (AFIP), Combined Militiary Hospital (CMH), Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Shahid Rafi MicroBiology Department, Armed Forces Institute Pathology (AFIP), Combined Militiary Hospital (CMH), Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Gohar Zaman MicroBiology Department, Armed Forces Institute Pathology (AFIP), Combined Militiary Hospital (CMH), Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Abstract

Enterococci have speedily emerged not only as organisms associated with nosocomial infections but have also created therapeutic problems. Presently in United States they are placed second in the category of nosocomial pathogens. A study was carried out at Armed Forces Institute of Pathology to determine the susceptibility pattern of enterococci to vancomycin and to find out whether vancomycin resistant enterococci colonize intestine, in our set up. One hundred enterococci collected from various clinical specimens were identified at species level. Modified Kirby-Bauer method was employed for disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined by dilution method, according to the recommendations of National Committee for Control of Laboratory Standards (NCCLS). The results were very encouraging as the tested isolates demonstrated excellent invitro susceptibility to vancomycin. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)90 of the isolates was 4 mg/L and no isolate was found to be fully resistant to vancomycin. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci were not isolated from faecal specimens. Fortunately according to this study vancomycin resistant enterococci are not prevalent in our set-up, but one has to be on continuous watch.

Publication Details

Page(s) 100-103

DOI DOI not available

Published Journal: Journal of College of Physicians and Surgeons--Pakistan : JCPSP, Volume: 9, Issue: 2, Year: 1999

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