Epidemiological Investigation of Fluoroquinolone Resistance in Infections Due to Extended‐Spectrum β‐Lactamase–Producing<i>Escherichia coli</i>and<i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>

Abstract

The incidence of infections due to extended-spectrum b-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-EK) has increased markedly in recent years. Treatment is difficult because of frequent multidrug resistance. Although fluoroquinolones offer effective therapy for ESBL-EK infections, their usefulness is threatened by increasing fluoroquinolone resistance. To identify risk factors for fluoroquinolone resistance in ESBL-EK infections, a case-control study of all patients with ESBL-EK infections from 1 June 1997 through 30 September 1998 was conducted. Of 77 ESBL-EK infections, 43 (55.8%) were resistant to fluoroquinolones. Independent risk factors for fluoroquinolone resistance were fluoroquinolone use (odds ratio [OR], 11.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.99-63.19), aminoglycoside use (OR, 5.83; 95% CI, 1.12-30.43), and long-term care facility residence (OR, 3.39; 95% CI, 1.06-10.83). The genotypes of fluoroquinolone-resistant ESBL-EK isolates were closely related. Efforts should be directed at modification of these risk factors to preserve the utility of fluoroquinolones in the treatment of ESBL-EK infections. Shortly after the introduction of the broad-spectrum oxyimino b-lactam antibacterial agents, reports of organisms resistant to these new agents began to emerge [1, 2]. The incidence of infections due to these extended-spectrum b-lactamase (ESBL)-producing organisms has increased markedly in recent years [3].