Isolation and Characterization of Enterococcus Species from Clinical Samples in Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Enterococcus species are significant nosocomial pathogens responsible for a variety of infections, including urinary tract infections (UTIs), bacteremia, and endocarditis. Their increasing resistance to multiple antibiotics poses a major challenge in clinical settings. This study aimed to isolate and characterize Enterococcus species from clinical samples in a tertiary care hospital and determine their antibiotic susceptibility patterns. A total of 150 samples, including urine, blood, pus, and body fluids, were collected and processed using standard microbiological methods. Enterococcus faecalis was the predominant species (60%), followed by Enterococcus faecium (35%) and other species (5%). Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed a high prevalence of resistance to aminoglycosides and beta-lactams. Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) were detected in 12% of the isolates. The findings highlight the necessity for robust infection control measures and judicious use of antibiotics to curb the spread of resistant strains.

Keywords: Enterococcus, antimicrobial resistance, vancomycin-resistant Enterococci, nosocomial infections, tertiary care hospital