Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) among Non–Hospitalized Individuals in Gaza City, Palestine

Abstract

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the occurrence of VRE among non–hospitalized individuals and to evaluate the public awareness of the globally escalating issue of antibiotics resistance. Methods: One hundred non-hospitalized individuals were interviewed and stool sample was collected from each during the period between January and June, 2006. Isolation of Enterococci was performed according to standard method. Each Enterococcus isolate was subjected to vancomycin susceptibility test. Results were statistically analyzed using SPSS software Results: We obtained 84 enterococcal isolates out of one hundred stool sample, 32.1% of them were resistant to vancomycin. No significant difference between male and female, level of education, hospitalization, age and Enterococcus carriage or VRE. Higher percentage of VRE was observed among those who were previously admitted to hospitals. Conclusions: A high percentage of Vancomycin resistance was demonstrated among Enterococcus spp. isolated from non-hospitalized individuals. No single risk factor could be attributed to acquiring VRE. Therefore, we may conclude that the general population is equally exposed.