Epidemiologic follow-up of multi-drug resistant bacteria by the Laboratoryof Microbiology in a general hospital in Lens, France.

Objectives - For the last few years, follow-up of multiresistant bacteria a nd hospital-acquired infections has become mandatory in hospital environmen ts. Since April 1997, we have been testing an assessment procedure on multi -drug resistant bacteria, based on data collected at the Microbiology Labor atory. Material and methods - We chose to assess regular incidence rather than pre valence. The selected unit was the number of new colonizations or contamina tion with a multiresistant bacteria for 1,000 patient days. Methicillin res istant S. aureus (MRSA) extended broad spectrum lactamase Enterobacteriacea e (EBSLE) P. aeruginosa resistant to ticarcillin, and A. baumannii were fir st computerized because they were the most threatening species in our hospi tal. However other species, such as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia or vancomy cin resistant enterococci could be included later if infections occurred. Results - From April 1997 to March 1998 the incidence of the different MDR for the whole of the hospital was 0.94 parts per thousand for MRSA, 0.70 pa rts per thousand for EBSLE, 1.12 parts per thousand for P. aeruginosa resis tant to ticarcilline, and 0.68 parts per thousand for A. baumannii. The per centage of resistance to methicillin for S. aureus, resistance to ticarcill in for P. aeruginosa, and the percentage of secretion of EBSLE were also ca lculated for various departments. In hospital we noted 26.4% of MRSA, 45.5% of P. aeruginosa resistant to ticarcilline, 10.1% of EBS K. pneumoniae, an d 38.6% of EBS E. aerogenes. (C) 1999 Elsevier, Paris.