PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY PROFILE OF ENTEROCOCCUS AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN WESTERN UTTAR PRADESH

Background: Enterococcus has emerged as a significant opportunistic pathogen, particularly in hospitalized and immunocompromised individuals. E. faecalis and E. faecium are commonly found to be associated with nosocomial infections.The special concern is their striking feature of intrinsic and acquired resistance to multiple antibiotics.Aim and Objectives: To determine the frequency,species distribution,and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Enterococcus in a tertiary care hospital in Western Uttar Pradesh. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted over one year (January 2023-December 2023) including the clinical samples submitted for bacterial culture and antibiotic sensitivity testing. Isolates suspected to be Enterococcus were identified using standard microbiological techniques and confirmed using the Vitek 2 compact system. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed as per CLSI 2023 guidelines using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of certain antibiotics was determined by Vitek 2 AST- P628 card Results: Out of 7012 culture-positive samples,690 (9.8%) yielded Enterococcus species, with the majority isolated from urine (73.5%), followed by pus (12.5%) and blood (10.4%). E. faecalis was the predominant species (66.23%),followed by E.faecium (32.89%).High resistance rates were observed against ciprofloxacin (71.6%), gentamicin (74.8%), and penicillin (61%).Vancomycin resistance was noted in 10% of isolates, predominantly from indoor patients. Among VRE isolates, high-level gentamicin resistance was seen in 93%, while linezolid showed the highest sensitivity (90%). Conclusion:The study highlights a concerning emergence of multidrug-resistant Enterococcus, including vancomycin-resistant strains. Regular surveillance and strict antibiotic stewardship are crucial for effective infection control and prevention of further resistance development.