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Confronting antibiotic resistance in enterococcal infections

M K Hayden1, A A Harris

  • 1Section of Infectious Disease, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, USA.

Contemporary Internal Medicine
|August 6, 1994
PubMed

Insights

Enterococcal infections are increasing, especially in hospitals, and many strains resist multiple antibiotics. Resistance screening and using antimicrobial combinations may offer effective treatment strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Pharmacy

Background:

  • Enterococcal infections represent a growing clinical concern, particularly in healthcare settings (nosocomial infections).
  • Multidrug resistance in enterococci complicates therapeutic options and necessitates novel treatment approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To address the challenge of treating antibiotic-resistant enterococcal infections.
  • To explore the potential efficacy of resistance screening and synergistic antimicrobial combinations.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on enterococcal infections and antibiotic resistance.
  • Analysis of resistance patterns in clinically relevant enterococcal species.
  • Evaluation of antimicrobial synergy testing methodologies.

Main Results:

  • Enterococcal infections are increasingly prevalent and associated with significant morbidity and mortality.
  • A substantial proportion of enterococcal isolates exhibit resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics.
  • Antimicrobial resistance screening is crucial for guiding effective therapy.

Conclusions:

  • The rise of antibiotic resistance in enterococci poses a significant threat to patient care.
  • Implementing resistance screening protocols can optimize antimicrobial selection.
  • Investigating synergistic antimicrobial combinations holds promise for overcoming multidrug resistance in enterococci.

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