Stool colonization of healthcare workers with selected resistant bacteria

We examined the carriage of selected resistant bacteria in the stools of healthcare workers who provided direct patient care. Neither vancomycin-resistant enterococci, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, nor Clostridium difficile was recovered from the 55 stool specimens collected. A ceftazidime-resistant Citrobacter freundii was isolated from one specimen. We conclude that the stool of healthcare workers is colonized infrequently with these resistant organisms.