Silver-resistant Enterobacteriaceae from hospital patients

Area of Science:

• Clinical Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

• Silver sulfadiazine is commonly used for burn wound prophylaxis.
• The emergence of antimicrobial resistance is a significant global health concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of silver resistance in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from hospital patients.
• To determine if silver sulfadiazine treatment contributes to the development of silver resistance in bacteria.

Main Methods:

• Utilized agar medium containing silver nitrate (AgNO3) for routine antibiotic susceptibility testing.
• Collected bacterial isolates from burn-site cultures and respiratory specimens from hospitalized patients.
• Performed serotyping on representative isolates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Main Results:

• Identified silver-resistant strains of Enterobacteriaceae, including Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, and Citrobacter freundii.
• 11 patients receiving silver sulfadiazine yielded silver-resistant bacteria from infected burns.
• A significant proportion of Enterobacteriaceae isolates were resistant to both silver and sulfonamides.

Conclusions:

• The routine use of silver sulfadiazine in hospitals is associated with the emergence of silver-resistant bacteria.
• Monitoring silver resistance is crucial for effective infection control and treatment strategies.
• Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms of silver resistance and its clinical implications.