Ampicillin- and ampicillin/sulbactam-resistant Escherichia coli infection in a neonatal intensive care unit in Japan

Pediatr Int. 2016 Jun;58(6):537-9. doi: 10.1111/ped.12984.

Abstract

The incidence of ampicillin (ABPC)-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli) infection in very low-birthweight infants has been increasing. The rate of ABPC/sulbactam (ABPC/SBT)-resistant E. coli in this population, however, is currently unknown. We encountered two cases of severe infection due to resistant E. coli and retrospectively studied the prevalence of ABPC- and ABPC/SBT-resistant E. coli in regular surveillance cultures obtained from all neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients between 2000 and 2013. The overall prevalence of ABPC-resistant E. coli was 39% (47/120), accounting for 63% of cases (32/51) between 2007 and 2013, compared with 22% (15/69) between 2000 and 2006. The prevalence of ABPC/SBT resistance was 17% (20/120), which was similar in both periods (16%, 8/51 vs 17%, 12/69). According to these results, not only ABPC, but also ABPC/SBT-resistant E. coli must be considered in the NICU.

Keywords: Escherichia coli; ampicillin; ampicillin/sulbactam; neonatal intensive care unit; prevalence.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Ampicillin / therapeutic use*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects
  • Escherichia coli / isolation & purification*
  • Escherichia coli Infections / drug therapy
  • Escherichia coli Infections / epidemiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / statistics & numerical data*
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Sulbactam / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Ampicillin
  • Sulbactam