RECURRENT SEPTICEMIAS WITH ENTEROCOCCUS-FAECIUM

A 17-year-old male patient with extrahepatic biliary atresia underwent an orthotopic liver transplantation in September 1994. In blood cultu res drawn in November and (6 weeks later) December 1994, from bile sec retions in May 1995, stool in June 1995 an wound abscess in August 199 5, ampicillin . resistant Enterococcus faecium was isolated. Pulsed-fi eld gel electrophoresis demonstrated the clonal identity of the isolat es. To our knowledge, repeated infections with the same E, faecium str ain over a period of 9 months have not been described before. As multi ple-resistant enterococci may colonize and reinfect liver transplant r ecipients for such a long time, preoperative antibiotic therapy should be administered cautiously in order not to select these organisms.