European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Background: Enterococci are relatively avirulent in healthy individuals but pathogenic in hospitalized patients. Because of their resistance to multiple drugs resulted in serious super infections among hospitalized patients. The present study was undertaken for isolation, identification & speciation of enterococci and determines antibiotic susceptibility patterns in various clinical specimens. Methods: Identification & Speciation of 100 isolates were done by standard conventional methods from various clinical samples like urine, pus, blood, wound swab etc & Antibacterial susceptibility pattern determined by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Results: Among 100 isolates, enterococcus spp isolated more from female patients(21-40yrs). E. faecalis, isolated in 60% of cases followed by E. faecium (36%), E. durans (3%), E. avium (1%). Enterococcal spp. isolated from Urine (59%), followed by blood (18%), pus (13%), wound swab (8%) & CSF (2%). Enterococcus shows resistance to antibiotics like penicillin, ampicillin followed by ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, tetracycline, high level gentamicin & 100% sensitive to Linezolid followed by teichoplanin & vancomycin. The resistance pattern of enterococci in urinary isolates is only 33.89%. Conclusion: The most common isolate in our study is E. faecalis. There is an increase in isolation rate of E. faecium and other non faecalis species of enterococci. The study revealed the prevalence of multidrug resistant HLAR strains of E. faecalis & E. faecium. Therefore, a periodic surveillance is required to monitor these rapid changing patterns of Enterococcal infections for effective treatment.