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Multicenter pilot survey of resistant bacteria in the Mediterranean area

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Abstract

With the aim of testing the feasibility of a multiresistant bacteria (MRB) surveillance methodology and evaluating the level of antimicrobial resistance and dissemination of resistant pathogens in the Mediterranean area, a pilot study was carried out in nine university hospitals in Algeria, Tunisia and France. The results indicate that third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae comprise the major MRB in Algerian and Tunisian hospitals. In France, the highest incidence rates were found for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, while in Tunisian hospitals, imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii seems to be a particularly prevalent organism. Although the data were not representative of the participating countries as a whole, the results show the importance and ubiquity of the problem in the area and the feasibility of surveillance.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all of the collaborators who assisted in the realization of this project in Algeria, Tunisia and France. In particular, we acknowledge the efforts of Prof. Rachid Belouni (CHU BLIDA), Dr. Nadjia Ramdani-Bouguessa (CHU MUSTAPHA), Dr. Farida Sahli (CHU SETIF), Amina Azzam-Yataghene (CHU TIZI OUZOU), Prof. Mohamed Kheder (Monastir), the participating hospitals from the BMR Sud-Est surveillance network (France) and members of NosoMed Network.

This work was supported by the INCO Program, European Union (contract n° ICA3-CT-2000-30010).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d’Epidémiologie et Santé Publique, Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, 8 Avenue Rockefeller, 69373, Lyon, cedex 08, France

    K. Amazian, M. Saadatian-Elahi & J. Fabry

  2. Laboratoire de Microbiologie, CHU La Rabta, 1007, Tunis, Tunisia

    C. Fendri

  3. Institut National de Santé Publique, 4 Chemin El Bakr-El Biar, 16030, Alger, Algeria

    M. F. K. Missoum

  4. Service des Maladies Infectieuses, CHU Fattouma Bourguiba, Monastir, Tunisia

    N. Bouzouaia

  5. Institut Pasteur, Alger, Algeria

    K. Rahal

  6. C.CLIN Sud-Est, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Pierre-Bénite, France

    A. Savey

Authors
  1. K. Amazian
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  2. C. Fendri
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  3. M. F. K. Missoum
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  4. N. Bouzouaia
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  5. K. Rahal
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  6. A. Savey
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  7. M. Saadatian-Elahi
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  8. J. Fabry
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Correspondence to K. Amazian.

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Amazian, K., Fendri, C., Missoum, M.F.K. et al. Multicenter pilot survey of resistant bacteria in the Mediterranean area. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 25, 340–343 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-006-0125-z

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