ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE PROFILE AND CHARACTERISATION OF ENTEROCOCCUS SPECIES FROM VARIOUS CLINICAL SAMPLES IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Background: Enterococcus is one of the leading causes of nosocomial infections, with E faecalis and E faecium accounting up to 90-95% of clinical isolates. During recent years, the occurrence of other Enterococcal species from clinical samples increased with the properties of resistance to many antibiotics. Thus appropriate identification of Enterococci at species level is crucial for the management and prevention of these bacteria in hospital settings. Hence, this study was undertaken to highlight the incidence of multi drug resistant enterococcal species from various samples from human infections, in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: This work was conducted in our institution from January 2009 to December 2011. About 112 enterococcal isolates from various clinical specimens were included in the study. The isolates were identified by standard microbiological methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out by using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. The prevalence of High level Gentamicin resistance was identified. Vancomycin resistance was assessed by E-test. Result: The commonest species identified was E faecalis (87.5%), followed by E faecium (8.9%). 14% of isolates produced beta haemolysis and gelatinase. 15% and 24% were the haemolytic and gelatinase producing enterococci. High level resistance was shown towards tetracycline, Amikacin, Cholramphenicol. Vancomycin resistance was identified in single isolate. Conclusion: There is achange in isolation pattern of enterococcal species. Besides, there is an increased rate of infection with multidrug resistant enterococci species, which necessitates frequent antimicrobial surveillance.