Pre-enrichment increases the yield of screening for carriage with resistant Gram-negative bacteria.

What is it about?

This study evaluated the added value of selective preenrichment for the detection of rectal carriage of extended-spectrum-betalactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E). ESBL-E rectal carriage was identified in 4.8% of hospitalized patients, and 25.9% of ESBL-E rectal carriers were identified with selective preenrichment only.

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Why is it important?

Appropriate antimicrobial therapy and infection control measures depend on rapid sensitive laboratory detection methods. Without selective pre-enrichment, 25.9 % of ESBL-E carriers and 1.2% of hospitalised patients would not have been identified as ESBL-E carrier, and no contact precautions would have been applied in the care for these patients.