Long-term carriage of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia Coli

• In 2009 we described an outbreak caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli in southern Sweden that occurred during 2005–2006. An important finding from the investigation was the long carriage times of the ESBL-producing E. coli in several of the patients, which in some cases exceeded 30 months. Here we report findings from the continued follow-up of bacterial carriage. In September 2010, 5 of the 42 patients still carried the bacteria after a median of 58 months (range 41–59 months), 18 had had repeatedly negative cultures after shedding bacteria for a median of 7.5 months (range 0–39 months), 16 had died while still shedding the bacteria for a median of 9 months (range 0–38 months), and 3 had been lost to follow-up.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Infektionsmedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Infectious Medicine (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)