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Isolation and Identification of Waterborne Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Molecular Characterization of their Antibiotic Resistance Genes
Published on: March 3, 2023
Antibiotic resistance in long-term care facilities
Silvano Esposito1, Sebastiano Leone, Silvana Noviello
1Department of Infectious Diseases, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy. silvanoesposito@libero.it
The New Microbiologica
|September 7, 2007
Summary
Antimicrobial resistance is a significant problem in long-term-care facilities (LTCFs), with elderly residents frequently colonized by resistant organisms. Effective control programs are still needed to address this critical healthcare challenge.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare epidemiology
- Infectious diseases
- Geriatric medicine
Background:
- Long-term-care facilities (LTCFs) serve diverse, primarily elderly populations.
- Infections are prevalent in LTCFs and often involve antimicrobial-resistant pathogens.
- Residents exhibit high colonization rates with various resistant organisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the clinical relevance of antimicrobial resistance in LTCFs.
- To highlight the challenges in controlling resistant organisms within these settings.
Main Methods:
- This is a review article.
- It synthesizes existing literature on antimicrobial resistance in LTCFs.
Main Results:
- LTCFs harbor a high frequency of residents colonized with multidrug-resistant organisms.
- Commonly identified resistant pathogens include MRSA, VRE, penicillin-resistant pneumococci, ESBL-producing Gram-negatives, and fluoroquinolone-resistant Gram-negatives.
- Despite published control programs, significant challenges remain.
Conclusions:
- Antimicrobial resistance poses a substantial clinical threat in LTCFs.
- Further development and implementation of control strategies are essential.
- Addressing resistance in LTCFs is crucial for resident health and public health.
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