Microbial Disruption Indices to Detect Colonization With Multidrug-Resistant Organisms.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Hospital Epidemiology

Background:

• Hospitalized patients are at risk for multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) colonization.
• Predicting MDRO colonization is crucial for effective infection control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize microbial disruption indices in hospitalized patients.
• To determine if these indices can predict colonization with MDROs.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 44 adult patients in a tertiary hospital.
• Fecal microbiome analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
• MDRO colonization screening via conventional culture techniques.

Main Results:

• Eleven patients (25%) were colonized with at least one MDRO.
• MDRO-colonized patients exhibited reduced microbial diversity.
• Increased abundance of metabolic pathways linked to multidrug resistance was observed.

Conclusions:

• Microbial disruption indices in the fecal microbiome may predict MDRO colonization.
• These findings suggest potential novel approaches for infection control in hospitals.