Journal List > Korean J Clin Microbiol > v.13(2) > 1038213

Park, Kim, Park, Suh, and Lee: Antimicrobial Resistance of Enterococcal Isolates from Blood and Risk Factors for Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcal Bacteremia in a Tertiary Care University Hospital from 2003 to 2007

Abstract

Background

In Korea, a sudden increase in vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infection has been noted since the late 1990s. This study was conducted to describe the antimicrobial resistances of enterococcal blood isolates and to identify risk factors associated with VRE bacteremia in a tertiary care university hospital over a recent five-year period.

Methods

This study was conducted to analyze the antimicrobial susceptibilities of enterococcal blood isolates by year from January 2003 to December 2007. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate factors associated with VRE bacteremia.

Results

A total of 225 enterococcal strains (44.7% Enterococcus faecalis, 42.4% Enterococcus facium, 5.9% Enterococcus casseliflavus, and 4.7% Enterococcus gallinarum) were detected in blood, 55 of which (21.6%) were resistant to vancomycin. In 2004 and 2005, the resistance rates for vancomycin and teicoplanin (33.3% and 27.3%; 34.4% and 23.0%, respectively) increased. In 2003, 2006, and 2007, the resistance rates for vancomycin and teicoplanin (8.7% and 8.7%; 19.0% and 14.3%; 13.5% and 11.5%, respectively) decreased relative to those of the previous years. When 55 patients with VRE bacteremia were compared with 55 patients with vancomycin-susceptible enterococcal bacteremia using multivariate analysis, E. faecium bacteremia (OR 12.624, P<0.001) and enterococcal bacteremia caused by species other than E. faecium and E. faecalis (OR 21.473, P=0.011) were found to be statistical risk factors. Among several infection control activities, the restricted uses of vancomycin and quinupristin-dalfopristin decreased the vancomycin resistance rate from 27.78% to 15.50% (P=0.0257).

Conclusion

VRE bacteremia would be effectively controlled via infection control activities based on studies regarding risk factors associated with VRE bacteremia.

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Table 1.
Distribution of enterococcal species in blood culture according to years
Year No. (%) of Enterococcus species recovered
E. faecalis E. faecium E. casseliflavus E. gallinarum Other species
2003 (N=46) 25 (54.3) 19 (41.3) 0 (0.0) 2 (4.3) 0 (0.0)
2004 (N=33) 13 (39.4) 18 (54.5) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 2 (6.1)
2005 (N=61) 20 (32.8) 34 (55.7) 3 (4.9) 4 (6.6) 0 (0.0)
2006 (N=63) 27 (42.9) 24 (38.1) 5 (7.9) 6 (9.5) 1 (1.6)
2007 (N=52) 29 (55.8) 13 (25.0) 7 (13.5) 0 (0.0) 3 (5.8)
Total (N=255) 114 (44.7) 108 (42.4) 15 (5.9) 12 (4.7) 6 (2.4)

Other species included Enterococcus avium, Enterococcus hirae, and Enterococcus raffinosus. Abbreviations: E. faecium, Enterococcus faecium; E. faecalis, Enterococcus faecalis; E. casseliflavus, Enterococcus casseliflavus; E. gallinarum, Enterococcus gallinarum.

Table 2.
Antimicrobial resistance rates of enterococcal isolates
Antimicrobial agent E. faecalis (N=114) % (N) E. faecium (N=108) % (N) E. casseliflavus (N=15) % (N) E. gallinarum (N=12) % (N) Other species (N=6) % (N) Total (N=255) % (N)
Ampicillin 3.5 (4/114) 79.6 (86/108) 80.0 (12/15) 100.0 (12/12) 33.3 (2/6) 45.5 (116/255)
Penicillin G 23.1 (15/65) 86.2 (50/58) 86.7 (13/15) 100.0 (10/10) 50.0 (2/4) 59.2 (90/152)
Vancomycin 7.9 (9/114) 37.0 (40/108) 13.3 (2/15) 33.3 (4/12) 0.0 (0/6) 21.6 (55/255)
Teicoplanin 7.9 (9/114) 26.9 (29/108) 13.3 (2/15) 16.7 (2/12) 0.0 (0/6) 16.5 (42/255)
Erythromycin 77.9 (74/95) 94.7 (72/76) 85.7 (12/14) 100.0 (5/5) 50.0 (1/6) 83.7 (164/196)
Ciprofloxacin 53.5 (61/114) 90.7 (98/108) 80.0 (12/15) 100.0 (12/12) 16.7 (0/6) 71.8 (783/255)
Quinupristin-dalfopri stin NT 8.6 (5/58) 20.0 (3/15) 0.0 (0/10) 50.0 (2/4) 11.5 (10/87)
Linezolid 0.0 (0/21) 0.0 (0/32) 33.3 (1/3) 0.0 (0/8) NT 1.6 (1/64)
Tetracycline 76.6 (59/77) 23.0 (17/74) 6.7 (1/15) 30.0 (3/10) 33.3 (2/6) 45.1 (82/182)

Other species included Enterococcus avium, Enterococcus hirae, and Enterococcus raffinosus. Abbreviations: NT, not tested; See Table 1.

Table 3.
Glycopeptides, quinupristin-dalfopristin, and linezolid resistance of enterococcal isolates according to years
Antimicrobial agents Enterococci species Resistance rates according to year, % (N)
2003 (N=46) 2004 (N=33) 2005 (N=61) 2006 (N=63) 2007 (N=52) Total (N=255)
Vancomycin E. faecalis 4.0 (1/25) 15.4 (2/13) 15.0 (3/20) 3.7 (1/27) 6.9 (2/29) 7.9 (9/114)
  E. faecium 15.8 (3/19) 50.0 (9/18) 44.1 (15/34) 33.3 (8/24) 38.5 (5/13) 37.0 (40/108)
  E. casseliflavus 33.3 (1/3) 20.0 (1/5) 0.0 (0/7) 13.3 (2/15)
  E. gallinarum 0.0 (0/2) 50.0 (2/4) 33.3 (2/6) 33.3 (4/12)
  Other species 0.0 (0/2) 0.0 (0/1) 0.0 (0/3) 0.0 (0/6)
  Total 8.7 (4/46) 33.3 (11/33) 34.4 (21/61) 19.0 (12/63) 13.5 (7/52) 21.6 (55/255)
Teicoplanin E. faecalis 4.0 (1/25) 15.4 (2/13) 15.0 (3/20) 3.7 (1/27) 6.9 (2/29) 7.9 (9/114)
  E. faecium 15.8 (3/19) 38.9 (7/18) 29.4 (10/34) 20.8 (5/24) 30.7 (4/13) 26.9 (29/108)
  E. casseliflavus 33.3 (1/3) 20.0 (1/5) 0.0 (0/7) 13.3 (2/15)
  E. gallinarum 0.0 (0/2) 0.0 (0/4) 33.3 (2/6) 16.7 (2/12)
  Other species 0.0 (0/2) 0.0 (0/1) 0.0 (0/3) 0.0 (0/6)
  Total 8.7 (4/46) 27.3 (9/33) 23.0 (14/61) 14.3 (9/63) 11.5 (6/52) 16.5 (42/255)
Quinupristin-dalfopristin E. faecalis NT NT NT NT NT NT
  E. faecium NT NT 4.2 (1/24) 8.7 (2/23) 18.2 (2/11) 8.6 (5/58)
  E. casseliflavus NT NT 33.3 (1/3) 20.0 (1/5) 14.3 (1/7) 20.0 (3/15)
  E. gallinarum NT NT 0.0 (0/4) 0.0 (0/6) 0.0 (0/10)
  Other species NT NT 100.0 (1/1) 33.3 (1/3) 50.0 (2/4)
  Total NT NT 6.5 (2/31) 11.4 (4/35) 19.0 (4/21) 11.5 (10/87)
Linezolid E. faecalis NT NT 0.0 (0/13) 0.0 (0/6) 0.0 (0/2) 0.0 (0/21)
  E. faecium NT NT 0.0 (0/24) 0.0 (0/7) 0.0 (0/1) 0.0 (0/32)
  E. casseliflavus NT NT 33.3 (1/3) NT NT 33.3 (1/3)
  E. gallinarum NT NT 0.0 (0/4) 0.0 (0/4) 0.0 (0/8)
  Other species NT NT NT NT NT
  Total NT NT 2.3 (1/44) 0.0 (0/17) 0.0 (0/3) 1.6 (1/64)

Other species included Enterococcus avium, Enterococcus hirae, and Enterococcus raffinosus. Abbreviations: NT, not tested; See Table 1.

Table 4.
Univariate analysis of demographic and clinical data between patients with vancomycin-resistant enterococcal (VRE bacteremia and those with vancomycin susceptible enterococca (VSE) bacteremia
Variables VRE (N=55) VSE (N=55) P
Gender, M: F 27: 28 29: 26 0.849
Age in years, mean±SD 59.69±19.31 61.07±18.38 0.701
Ward      
 ICU 28 32 0.792
  MICU 10 12 0.792
  SICU 6 5  
  NICU 12 15  
 Non-ICU 27 23  
  Hemato-onco ward 3 1  
  General ward 24 22  
Hospital stay (day), mean±SD 64.45±66.38 63.05±49.93 0.889
Invasive procedure      
  Urinary catheter 444 49 0.291
  Central line 34 34 1.000
  Ventilator 33 21 0.035
  L-tube 36 38 0.839
 Surgery Underlying disease 25 26 1.000
  Diabetes mellitus 12 19 0.203
  Hypertension 17 22 0.426
  Tuberculosis 3 1 0.618
  Cancer 6 5 1.000
  Renal insufficiency 9 8 1.000
  Polymicrobial infection 50 42 0.069
  Polymicrobial bacteremia 6 5 1.000
Causative organism      
  E. faecium 43 23 <0.001
  E. faecalis 6 30  
  Other species 6 2  
 Known source of bacteremia 12 4 0.056
  Urinary tract 4 4  
  Gastointesital tract 5 0  
  Others 3 0  
 MRSA co-infection 14 10 0.489
Prior exposure with antibiotics      
  Vancomycin 31 12 <0.001
  Quinolone 20 21 1.000
  Imipenem 9 1 0.016
  Penicillin 28 15 0.019
  Cephalosporin 42 36 0.294
  Aminoglycoside 30 26 0.567
  Clindamycin 12 12 1.000

We used the Charlson comorbidity index to evaluate the disease severity and comorbidity in VRE group and VSE group. There were not statistically different in disease severity and comorbidity between VRE group and VSE group (Weighted index comorbidity: P=0.7418 t-test; Combined condition and age related score: P=0.5240, t-test)

A univariate analysis was carried out by the chi-square test o Fisher's exact test depending on the sample size for qualitative variables. Continuous variables were analyzed with t-test;

Statistica significance. Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; ICU, intensive care unit MICU, medical intensive care unit; SICU, surgical intensive care unit; NICU, neurosurgical intensive care unit.

Table 5.
Univariate analysis of laboratory data between patients with vancomycin-resistant enterococcal (VRE) bacteremia and those with vancomycin susceptible enterococcal (VSE) bacteremia
Variables VRE (N=55) mean±SD (range) VSE (N=55) mean±SD (range) P
ALP (IU/L) Total protein (g/dL) 108.96±80.5 (31.0∼387.0) 5.60±0.85 (3.9∼7.6) 118.80±124.81 (23.0∼607.0) 5.56±0.95 (3.9∼7.8) 0.650 0.830
Albumin (g/dL) 2.69±0.56 (1.6∼4.0) 2.64±0.56 (1.8∼3.9) 0.696
AST (IU/L) 61.15±66.18 (10.0∼342.0) 44.20±27.44 (14.0∼116.0) 0.116
ALT (IU/L) 44.27±53.91 (3.0∼370.0) 37.82±43.92 (4.0∼292.0) 0.527
BUN (mg/dL) 29.38±27.32 (4.0∼153.0) 37.18±37.13 (1.0∼156.0) 0.212
Creatinine (mg/dL) 1.09±0.86 (0.2∼5.0) 1.59±1.82 (0.3∼10.1) 0.071
Sodium (mmol/L) 135.15±5.77 (123.0∼149.0) 137.45±6.25 (120.0∼152.0) 0.047
Potassium (mmol/L) 3.87±0.68 (2.5∼5.4) 3.79±0.79 (1.9∼6.3) 0.562
Chloride (mmol/L) 102.11±6.00 (90.0∼118.0) 103.82±6.91 (91.0∼105.0) 0.169
Glucose (mg/dL) 160.14±88.40 (49.0∼545.0) 178.44±104.22 (70.0∼710.0) 0.368
WBC (count/μL) 11,606±11,605 (180.0∼30,840.0) 12,632±8,985 (300∼43,200.0) 0.368 0.482
Hemoglobin (g/dL) 10.13±2.14 (6.1∼19.3) 10.45±2.12 (6.5∼16.6) 0.433
Platelet (count/μL) 232,055±137,822 (15.0∼610.0) 178,218±113,651 (15.0∼538.0) 0.027
ESR (mm/hr) 34.37±24.02 (1.0∼85.0) 31.77±18.84 (2.0∼85.0) 0.630

See Table 4

Continuous variables were analyzed with t-test;

Statistical significance. Abbreviations: ALP, alkaline phosphatase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; WBC, white blood cell; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

Table 6.
Multivariate logistic regression analysis of risk factors for acquiring bacteremia caused by vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)
Variables B S.E. Wald DOF P Exp(B) 95% confide interval
Lower Upper
Ventilatior 0.832 0.585 2.024 1 0.155 2.298 0.730 7.235
Polymicrobial infection 0.623 0.751 0.690 1 0.406 1.865 0.428 8.123
Causative organism                
E. faecalis     15.226 2 0.000      
E. faecium 2.536 0.670 14.341 1 <0.001 12.624 3.398 46.895
 Other species 3.067 1.202 6.515 1 0.011 21.473 2.038 226.275
Known source of bacteremia 1.266 1.008 1.576 1 0.209 3.547 0.491 25.600
Previous vancomycin therapy 1.042 0.621 2.817 1 0.093 2.836 0.840 9.579
Previous imipenem therapy 1.074 1.214 0.783 1 0.376 2.927 0.271 31.590
Previous penicillin therapy Creatinine (mg/dL) 0.885 0.579 2.336 1 0.126 2.424 0.779 7.545
 0.6∼1.2     1.845 2 0.398      
 <0.6 −1.157 0.857 1.822 1 0.177 0.314 0.059 1.687
 <1.2 −0.097 0.654 0.022 1 0.882 0.908 0.252 3.269
Sodium (mmol/L)
 135∼145     2.720 2 0.257      
 <135 0.368 0.543 0.460 1 0.497 1.445 0.499 4.190
 >145 −1.926 1.359 2.010 1 0.156 0.146 0.010 2.088
Platelet (count/μL) 150,000∼350,000     7.073 2 0.029      
 <150,000 1.275 1.436 0.788 1 0.375 3.579 0.215 59.697
 >350,000 2.793 1.452 3.698 1 0.054 16.327 0.948 281.317
Constant −5.723 1.807 10.035 1 0.002 0.003    

All variables with a P value of <0.1 in univariate analyses were included in multivariate logistic regression analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed by enter method

The value of the dependent variable when the independent variables are all zero;

Statistical significance Abbreviations: B, estimate of regression coefficient; S.E, standard error; DOF, degree of freedom; Exp(B), exponentiated B (odds ratio).

Table 7.
Difference of vancomycin resistance rate according to infection control activities
Infection control activities Vancomycin resistance rate P
Before % (N) After % (N)
Application of restricted vancomycin and quinupristin-dalfopristin from October 2005 27.78 (35/126) 15.50 (20/129) 0.0257
Strengthening infection control management because of 2006 23.96 (23/96) 19.23 (5/26) 0.8060
A. baumannii outbreak in ICU from November      
Ward remodeling      
Ward A (from April 2006 to July 2006) 60.0 (3/5) 0.0 (0/6) 0.06
Ward B (from August 2006 to November 2006) 29.41 (5/17) 0.0 (0/1) 1.0
Ward C (from December 2006 to March 2007) 25.0 (3/12) 0.0 (0/2) 1.0
Ward D (from October 2005 to February 2006) 25.0 (2/8) 0.0 (0/0) NT

Statistical significance

The vancomycin-resistance rates of E. faecalis and E. faecium were 11.3% (6/53) and 30.8% (20/65) before October 2005. They were 5.0% (3/60) and 30.9% (23/42) after October 2005. However, there were not statistically different (E. faecalis: P=0.3733, E. faecium: P=0.8459). Quinupristin-dalfopristin resistance rate was 37.5% (12/32) before October 2005 and 49.15% (58/118) after October 2005. However, there was no significant difference (P=0.3310);

Qualitative variables were analyzed with the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test depending on the sample size. Abbreviation: NT, not tested.

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