Abstract

Purpose
Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer a health benefit to the host when administered in adequate amounts. The bacteria used as probiotics in Korea are Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterum, Enterococcus, Bacillus and Clostridium. Enterococci form part of the lactic acid bacteria of importance in foods and are used as human probiotics. However, they are also important nosocomial pathogens e.g. vancomycin-resistant enterococcus in a nosocomial infection. Therefore, this study examined the antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) related nosocomial infections in patients who received probiotics containing E. faecium. Methods: This study analyzed 234 patients with an E. faecium infection, who were hospitalized between 2003 and 2005. Results: An infection developed in 171 patients during hospitalization and 22 (12.6%) of these had received probiotics E. faecium prior to the infection. Seventy-one (41.5%) of the 171 patients had an urinary tract infection, 44 (25.7%) had a biliary tract infection, 19 (11.1%) had an infection of the blood, 15 (8.8%) had a wound infection and bedsores, 11 (6.4%) had a hemo-bag infection, 6 (3.5%) had an intravenous hyperalimentation infection, and 3 (1.8%) each had pneumonia, vaginal discharge and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. There were no differences in the source of infection between the group given probiotics and group without probiotics. The frequency of antimicrobial resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, gentamycin, streptomycin, vancomycin and teicoplanin, and the use of these antibiotics were similar in both groups. Conclusion: Probiotics containing E. faecium do not increase the antimicrobial resistance of nosocomial infections by E. faecium. (JKSPEN 2007;1(1):13-18)

• Keywords: Probiotics, <;i>;Enterococcus faecium<;/i>;, Nosocomial infection, Bacterial drug resistance