Antibiotic resistance of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolated from urinary tract infections in Zagazig University hospitals

This study aims to investigate the resistance profile of enterococci to commonly used antibiotics to provide correct treatment of urinary tract infections and to stop the continual emergence of highly resistant species of bacteria. Three hundred and twenty five (325) urine samples were collected from patients in Urinary Tract (UT) Department and Outpatient urinary tract clinic of Zagazig University Hospitals in Zagazig city, Sharkia, Egypt. One hundred and twenty seven enterococcal isolates (39.1%) were isolated from urine samples. Seventy (55.1%) of enterococcal isolates were Enterococcus faecalis and fifty seven (44.9%) of enterococcal isolates were Enterococcus faecium. All the isolates are identified and the sensitivity to a number of antibiotics was determined by disc diffusion method.
Using standard breakpoint sensitivity values: the highest percentages of resistance of enterococcal isolates were found for penicillin G, rifampin, erythromycin, doxycycline, ampicillin, lincomycin and amoxicillin. The moderate percentages of resistance were found for ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, clarithromycin and spiramycin, gentamicin and clindamycin, whereas the lowest percentages of resistance were seen for and chloramphenicol, vancomycin, teicoplanin, sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim and imipenem.
These values are seemed to be higher than wide world values. This is probably due to the variation in the bacterial sensitivity pattern over time and between different geographical districts, misusing of antibiotics and not continuing the antibiotic therapy for sufficient period of time. In conclusion, this high resistance rate represents a dangerous alarm that necessitates the search for new therapeutic options.