Resistance in Enterobacteriaceae: results of a multicenter surveillance study, 1995-2000.

OBJECTIVES: To assess changes over time in susceptibility of Enterobacteriaceae from patients in ICUs, compare susceptibility rates of isolates from patients in ICUs with those from inpatients outside ICUs, and explore phenotypic patterns of cross-resistance and co-resistance. DESIGN: From 1995 to 2000, centers participating in the ICU Surveillance Study tested 100 to 200 consecutive nosocomial gram-negative bacilli by broth microdilution. SETTING: Each year, 42 to 97 U.S. hospitals tested isolates. RESULTS: In all years, imipenem was the most potent agent tested, followed by amikacin and ertapenem. Extended-spectrum beta-lactam and monobactam agents had good activity against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species, but limited activity against Enterobacter species. Susceptibility to imipenem and amikacin did not fluctuate during the analysis period, whereas susceptibility to ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, and ciprofloxacin decreased 2% to 5%. The decline was most pronounced for susceptibility of Escherichia coli to ciprofloxacin: 98.7% of ICU isolates were susceptible in 1995 versus 93.2% in 2000. Susceptibility of ICU isolates was lower than that of non-ICU isolates, except for ciprofloxacin, for which the reverse was true. Cross-resistance was common among extended-spectrum cephalosporins and penicillins, but uncommon between imipenem and ertapenem. Only imipenem and ertapenem remained highly active against Enterobacteriaceae with a phenotype suggesting possible production of an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and those with a phenotype suggesting possible Amp C hyperproduction. CONCLUSIONS: Imipenem was the most active agent against nosocomial Enterobacteriaceae. Susceptibility to ciprofloxacin decreased from 1995 to 2000, particularly in Escherichia coli, and, in contrast to other agents, was lower among non-ICU isolates.

Phenotypic antimicrobial resistance patterns in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter: results of a Multicenter Intensive Care Unit Surveillance Study, 1995-2000.

Susceptibility data from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Surveillance Study for 10,361 isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 2,573 isolates of Acinetobacter tested at centers in the United States during 1995 to 2000 were analyzed. In all years, amikacin was the most active antimicrobial agent against P. aeruginosa, and imipenem was the most active agent against Acinetobacter. Resistance of both organisms to common therapeutic agents tested throughout the analysis period increased from 1995 to 2000, although the increase was not consistent for all drugs from year to year. The increases were higher among Acinetobacter, and for both organisms, the increase in resistance was greatest for ciprofloxacin. Among all P. aeruginosa tested in 1999 and 2000, resistance to ciprofloxacin was 9-11% higher for isolates from patients on general hospital wards than those from ICUs. Of the 3424 ICU isolates of P. aeruginosa tested in 1999 and 2000, 77 (2.2%) were multidrug-resistant (i.e., resistant to piperacillin, ceftazidime, imipenem, and gentamicin). Twenty (3.9%) isolates of Acinetobacter in 1999 and seven (1.9%) in 2000 were resistant to imipenem, ceftazidime, piperacillin-tazobactam, ciprofloxacin, and amikacin. Although resistance in both P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter increased, multidrug-resistant (to > or =4 agents) strains were uncommon.