Survey of bloodstream infections due to gram-negative bacilli: Frequency of occurrence and antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates collected in the United States, Canada, and Latin America for the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, 1997
Dj. Diekema et al., Survey of bloodstream infections due to gram-negative bacilli: Frequency of occurrence and antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates collected in the United States, Canada, and Latin America for the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, 1997, CLIN INF D, 29(3), 1999, pp. 595-607
During 1997, a total of 4,267 nosocomial and community-acquired bloodstream
infections due to gram-negative organisms were reported from SENTRY hospit
als in Canada (8 sites), the United States (30 sites), and Latin America (1
0 sites). Escherichia coli was the most common isolate (41% of all gram-neg
ative isolates), followed by Klebsiella species (17.9%), Pseudomonas aerugi
nosa (10.6%), and Enterobacter species (9.4%), For all gram-negative isolat
es combined, the most active antimicrobials tested were meropenem, imipenem
, and cefepime. The quinolones levofloxacin (MIC90, 2 mu g/mL), ciprofloxac
in (MIC90, 1 mu g/mL), gatifloxacin (MIC90, 2 mu g/mL), sparfloxacin (MIC90
, 2 mu g/mL), and trovafloxacin (MIC90, 2 mu g/mL) were also active against
most isolates. Bloodstream infection isolates from Latin America were unif
ormly more resistant to all classes of antimicrobial agents tested than wer
e isolates from Canada or the United States. Resistance phenotypes consiste
nt with extended-spectrum p-lactamase production were also most common amon
g E. coli and Klebsiella species from Latin America. Further investigation
of the reasons for regional differences in resistance patterns is needed, a
s is ongoing surveillance to detect resistance trends and to guide antimicr
obial use.