The distribution and resistance of pathogens causing blood stream infections following liver transplantation: a clinical analysis of 69 patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To study the distribution and drug resistance of pathogens causing blood stream infections (BSIs) and provide the evidence for clinical therapy after liver transplantation.

METHODOLOGY

Blood samples were processed by the BACTEC 9120 blood culture system. Species identification was performed using the Vitek-2 system. The drug susceptibility of pathogens was performed using the ATB FUNGUS 3 system.

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty six episodes of BSIs occurred in 69 patients between January 31, 2003 and January 31, 2014. The gram-positive bacteria emerged as major pathogens and constituted 48.4% of all pathogens (61/126). The most common bacilli were Enterobacter spp and Enterococcus spp followed by S. aureus. The gram-negative bacteria were relatively sensitive to carbapenems and the gram-positive bacteria were relatively sensitive to glycopeptides and oxazolidone antibiotics. The drug resistance of fungi to amphotericin B, flucytosine, voriconazole and caspofungin was not found.

CONCLUSION

In liver transplantation, gram-positive bacteria caused BSls more frequently than gram-negative bacteria. The resistance rate of bacteria to antibiotics was high while the rate was low in fungi.