Colonization of residents and staff of an Italian long-term care facility and an adjacent acute care hospital geriatric unit by multidrug-resistant bacteria

In 2016, we undertook a point prevalence screening study for Enterobacteriaceae with extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), high-level AmpC cephalosporinases and carbapenemases, and also methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) in a long-term care facility (LTCF) and the associated acute care hospital geriatric unit in Bolzano, Northern Italy. Urine samples and rectal, inguinal, oropharyngeal and nasal swabs were plated on selective agars. Demographic data were collected. ESBL and carbapenemase genes were sought by PCR. We found the following colonization percentages with multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in 2016 in LTCF residents: all MDR organisms, 66.1%; ESBL producers, 53.0%; carbapenemase-producers, 1.7%; MRSA, 14.8%; VRE, 0.8%. Colonization by all MDR bacteria was 19.4% for LTCF staff and 26.0% for geriatric unit patients. PCR showed that 85% of Escherichia coli isolates from LTCF residents, all E. coli isolates from LTCF staff, 62.5% and 100% of Klebsiella pneumoniae from LTCF residents and geriatric unit patients, respectively, had a blaCTX-M-type gene. All carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae harboured a blaVIM-type gene. To conclude, the ongoing widespread diffusion of MDR bacteria in the LTCF suggests that efforts should be strengthened on MDR screening, implementation of infection control strategies and antibiotic stewardship programs targeting the unique aspects of LTCFs.