A STUDY ON PREVALENCE AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE PATTERN OF ENTEROCOCCI ISOLATED FROM PATIENTS WITH BACTEREMIA IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN AHMEDABAD

Background: The emergence and spread of Vancomycin, Linezolid and combined linezolid/vancomycin resistance in Enterococcus species (LVRE) is a major therapeutic challenge. Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci are an important cause of healthcare-associated infections. Linezolid and Teicoplanin are currently approved for the treatment of VRE; however, resistance to these antimicrobials appears to be increasing. Aims/Objectives: The study was done to find the prevalence and to study the antimicrobial resistance pattern of Enterococci isolated from patients with bacteremia in a tertiary care hospital in Ahmedabad. Methodology: This retrospective study was conducted for a period of one year; Blood samples were received and incubated in Bact/Alert 3D automated blood culture machine. Positive indicated blood samples were cultured, and identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done using both manual and automated methods. Results: In this study, 4147(35%) blood samples were found positive. Out of 4147 positive blood samples 278(6.7%) samples were shown growth with Enterococci species. Out of 278 Enterococci, 8(2.87%) Enterococci were found to have both linezolid and vancomycin resistance. Conclusions: Prevalence of LVRE is low (7.19%). Yet there are 2.87% LVRE and 35.7% TRLVRE are observed in the study which is a matter of concern as these antimicrobials are considered as last resort drugs for VRE infections.