Prevalence of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus in a Teaching Hospital in Kashan, Iran

Background: Enterococci bacteria are part of the intestinal microbial flora of humans and animals. However, the widespread use of antibiotics causes antibiotic resistance among these bacteria, making it necessary to identify effective antimicrobial agents against them. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the phenotypic prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in the clinical samples of patients admitted to Beheshti hospital in Kashan. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed on 110 enterococci isolated from the clinical samples of hospitalized patients during 2017-2018. Vancomycin-resistant cases were identified and recorded after recording clinical and demographic information. Finally, the groups were statistically compared using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. Results: The present study findings demonstrated that the prevalence of VRE was 37.3%. There was a significant association between the prevalence of VRE and older age, diabetes, history of antibiotic use, and more extended hospital stays. Conversely, no significant relationship was found between VRE prevalence and gender, blood pressure, heart disease, year of sampling, and type of clinical sample. Conclusion: Overall, the incidence of vancomycin resistance in enterococci is increasing, which can be reduced by identifying effective antimicrobial agents and providing appropriate training to the medical staff and the general public.