Intestinal carriage of multidrug-resistant bacteria among healthcare professionals in Germany

Healthcare professionals (HCP) might be at increased risk of acquisition of multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB), i.e., methillicin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (MDRGN) and could be an unidentified source of MDRB transmission. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence as well as risk factors of MDRB colonization among HCP. HCP (n=107) taking part in an antibiotic stewardship program, were voluntarily recruited to perform a rectal swab and to fill in a questionnaire to identify risk factors of MDRB carriage, i.e. being physician, gender, travel abroad within the previous 12 months, vegetarianism, regular consumption of raw meat, contact to domestic animals, household members with contact to livestock, work or fellowship abroad, as well as medical treatment abroad and antibiotic therapy within the previous 12 months. Selective solid media were used to determine the colonization rate with MRSA, VRE and MDRGN. MDRGN were further characterized by molecular analysis of underlying β-lactamases. None of the participants had an intestinal colonization with MRSA or VRE. 3.7% of the participants were colonized with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae, predominantly bla(CTX-M) type. Neither additional flouroquinolone resistance nor carbapenem resistance was detected in any of these isolates. No risk factors were identified to have a significant impact of MDRB carriage among HCP. A colonization rate of 3.7% with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae is of interest, but comparing it to previously published data with similar colonization rates in the healthy population in the same geographic area, it is probably less an occupational risk.