[Enterococcus faecalis: a multicenter study on antibiotic resistance]. / Enterococcus faecalis: étude multicentrique sur la résistance aux antibiotiques.

676 E. faecalis strains were listed over a period of 2 years from the Charles Nicolle hospital of Tunis (167 strains), the Habib Bourguiba hospital of Sfax (350 strains) and the National Centre of Bone marrow Transplantation of Tunis (159 strains). Antibiotic sensibility study was realized by the method of the antibiogram, E-test method and the search of penicillinase by cefinase. E. faecalis resulted essentially from services of onco-haematology (24%), external consultations (23%), surgery (18%) and medicine (15%). These strains were isolated especially from urines (54%), coprocultures (15%), bloodcultures (11%) and from pus (9%). Resistance acquired with these strains is raised for erythromycin, tetracyclin and chloramphenicol (81% to 86%), followed by high level resistance to gentamicine (37%). 0.1% of E. faecalis strains have a low level resistance to amoxicillin without production of penicillinase. No resistance to vancomycin was observed.

[Multidrug resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae: multicenter study]. / Multiresistance aux antibiotiques de Klebsiella pneumoniae: etude multicentrique.

The extensive use of broad spectrum antibiotics, especially the third generation cephalosporins (C3G), was followed by the emergence of newer plasmid mediated betalactamases called extended spectrum betalactamases (ESBLs). To assess the impact of K. pneumoniae resistant to 3GC in Tunisia, this study was conducted in 3 teaching hospitals. A total of 1110 strains of K pneumoniae was collected. The antibiotics susceptibilities were tested by diffusion method using Mueller-Hinton agar. The quality control was regularly performed. I ESBLs producing solates were detected using the double-disc synergy test. Data analysis was done using the Whonet 4 software. 23.6% K. pneumoniae isolates showed phenotype pattern of ESBLs producers. The double-disc synergy test was positive in 75% of the cases. These isolates were recovered from hospitalized patients in different wards but mainly from pediatrics (23.6%), medicine (23.2%), surgery (22.9%), intensive care units (11%) and neonatology (11%). 54% were isolated from urines, 22% from blood cultures. These isolates remained susceptible to imipenem (100%) and most of them to cefoxitin (96.4%) but all had associated resistance to aminoglycosides, quinolones and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The prevalence of multidrug resistant K. pneumoniae is high. This resistance can be minimized by the implementation of infection control measures including handwashing and isolation procedures.

[Epidemiology of gram negative bacterial septicemias: data from a Tunisian hospital (1996-1998)]. / Epidémiologie des septicémies à bacilles gram négatif: données d'un hopital Tunisien (1996-1998).

Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) septicemia are among the most serious infections encountered in the hospital since they generally occur on debilitated patients and are due to the multi-drug resistant bacteria. A retrospective study relating to 195 septicemia was carried out with an aim studying epidemiologic profile, predisposing factors, entry sites for micro-organisms, responsible GNB and their antibiotic susceptibility. GNB septicemia were mainly frequent in intensive care units (34%) and surgery (31%). Previous antibiotherapy, invasive procedures and surgical acts were the principal predisposing factors. The entry sites for micro-organisms remained unknown in 1/3 of the cases. The most common source of septicemia was the urinary tract infections. E. coli was the most frequent isolated bacteria (26%) in the community acquired spticemia whereas Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Serratia (KES), Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas were mainly encountered in nosocomial infections. Imipenem remained the most active betalactamin on GNB (2% of resistance) with amikacin (16% of resistance) among aminoglycosides. The rate of mortality was 18%. Hospitalization wards (intensive care units, surgery), entry sites unknown, septic shock syndrome were the main factors of prognosis. The development of immunology and molecular biology should improve the outcome of these infections but the preventive measures remain the most effective.