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Updated: Mar 24, 2026

Population and Single-Cell Analysis of Antibiotic Persistence in Escherichia coli
Published on: March 24, 2023
The prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in a nursing home setting compared with elderly living at home: a
Andreas Blom1, Jonas Ahl1, Fredrik Månsson1
1Infectious Diseases Research Unit, Deptment of Clinical sciences, Lund University, Skånes University hospital, 205 02, Malmö, Sweden.
Background:
The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of faecal carriage of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae among residents living in nursing homes and to compare it with a corresponding group of elderly people living in their own homes.
Methods:
A total of 160 persons participated in the study between February and April 2014, 91 were residents in nursing homes (n = 10) and the remaining 69 were elderly living in their own homes. In addition to performing faecal samples, all participants answered a standardized questionnaire regarding known risk factors for ESBL-carriage.
Results:
There was no significant difference between the groups, as 10 of the 91 (11%) residents from nursing homes were ESBL-carriers compared with 6 of 69 (8,7%) elderly living in their own homes. There was no significant difference between the groups. The total prevalence was 10%. A univariate analysis revealed that the only studied risk factor significantly associated with ESBL-carriage was recent foreign travel (p = 0,017). All ESBL-positive isolates were Escherichia coli and there was a high degree of co-resistance to other antibiotics. All isolates (n = 17) were susceptible to imipenem and amikacin.
Conclusion:
Residents of nursing homes as well as elderly living in their own homes have high rates of faecal carriage of ESBL-producing bacteria. These findings may affect the choice of empirical antibiotic treatment of severe infections in older adults.
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