Hospital effluent constitutes a source of vancomycin-resistant enterococci

Authors

  • Lidia Nuñez Cátedra de Higiene y Sanidad, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires
  • Carina Tornello Cátedra de Higiene y Sanidad, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires
  • Noel Puentes Cátedra de Higiene y Sanidad, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires
  • Elena Espigares Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada
  • Elena Moreno Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada
  • Miguel Espigares Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada
  • Juan Moretton Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30827/ars.v57i3.5329

Keywords:

vancomycin-resistant enterococci, multi-resistance, hospital effluent, antibiotics, municipal wastewater

Abstract

Objectives: Enterococci are intrinsically resistant to many commonly used antimicrobial agents. They are able to acquire resistance with relative ease and can spread these genes to other species. Enterococci resistant to antibiotics are associated with the use of these in clinical practice and also the spread of resistant clones in the world. The aim of this work was to compare the characteristics of the strains of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) isolated from municipal wastewater and hospital effluent.

Methods: Samples were obtained from the effluent of the Hospital Universitario José de San Martín (Buenos Aires) and the municipal wastewater of the city of Buenos Aires.

Results: The bacterial counts of VRE were greater in the hospital effluent, with an odds ratio of 36.4 (95% CI: 26.0-50.8; p<0.0001). The VRE isolated were mainly identified as E. faecium. The results indicate a high prevalence of enterococci resistant to the antibiotics tested.

Conclusion: We may conclude that the effluents of hospitals constitute a source of VRE showing multiple resistance to antibiotics.

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Published

2016-09-20

How to Cite

1.
Nuñez L, Tornello C, Puentes N, Espigares E, Moreno E, Espigares M, Moretton J. Hospital effluent constitutes a source of vancomycin-resistant enterococci. Ars Pharm [Internet]. 2016 Sep. 20 [cited 2024 Aug. 13];57(3):121-6. Available from: https://revistaseug.ugr.es/index.php/ars/article/view/5329

Issue

Vol. 57 No. 3 (2016)

Section

Original Articles

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