Secular trends in bloodstream infection caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in New Jersey hospitals, 1991 to 1995.

INTRODUCTION: Antimicrobial resistance among bacteria is an increasing public health problem. In 1991, New Jersey was the first state to establish statewide, hospital-based surveillance for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.

METHODS: Each month, all 96 nonfederal New Jersey hospital laboratories complete a form listing the species identity and drug susceptibility results for selected antimicrobial-resistant bacteria isolated from blood cultures from hospital inpatients. Penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and aminoglycoside-resistant gram-negative rods were studied from 1991 to 1995. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci and imipenem-resistant gram-negative rods were studied from 1992 through 1995.

RESULTS: From 1992 to 1995, the vancomycin-resistant enterococci bloodstream infection prevalence rate increased from 11 to 29 per 100,000 hospital admissions (p < 0.001); the rate was higher at larger hospitals, urban and inner-city hospitals, and teaching hospitals. From 1991 to 1995, the penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae bloodstream infection rate increased from 1.1 to 9.9 per 100,000 admissions (p < 0.001). In contrast, bloodstream infection rates did not change significantly for imipenem-resistant (12.5 during 1992 and 14.1 during 1995, p = 0.4) or aminoglycoside-resistant (8.0 during 1991 and 6.8 during 1995, p = 0.4) gram-negative rods.

CONCLUSIONS: We found that vancomycin-resistant enterococci and penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae, but neither of two groups of antimicrobial-resistant gram-negative rods, are increasing rapidly in prevalence in New Jersey. Continued monitoring and interventions to slow these increases are needed.