ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITIES OF ENTEROCOCCI ISOLATED FROM TURKISH CHILDREN

to evaluate the antibiotic resistance rates of enterococci isolated at Hacettepe Children's Hospital, In vitro antibiotic susceptibility tes ts were performed in 77 enterococci (32 hospital, 45 nonhospital strai ns) isolated from various clinical specimens in 1994. Microbroth dilut ion tests against ampicillin, vancomycin, gentamicin and streptomycin were performed according to the NCCLS standards. High level resistance to aminoglycosides war Investigated. Ampicillin resistance rates were 21.9 percent and 2.2 percent for hospital and nonhospital strains, re spectively (p<0.01). The same rates were 46.9 and 13.3 percent for gen tamicin (p<0.01), and 15.6 and 13.3 percent for streptomycin (p=0.25). No resistance was detected against vancomycin. Six strains (7.8%) sho wed high-level resistance to both aminoglycosides studied. Special att ention should be paid to enterococci isolated from hospitalized patien ts. Appropriate antibiotic use In serious infections can only be achie ved by choosing an appropriate regimen according to antibiotic suscept ibility tests. Periodic evaluation of the antibiotic susceptibility pa tterns of enterococci is necessary for the empirical treatment of infe ctions due to these microorganisms.