Duration of colonization with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in patients with travellers' diarrhoea.

AbstractBackground: Resistant Enterobacteriaceae have become a worldwide epidemic during the last decade and are a great threat to health care worldwide. International travel is a major risk factor for becoming colonized with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria. Data on the persistence of colonization with ESBL-producing bacteria in the faecal flora are limited.Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed between October 2007 and October 2010. Fifty-eight patients with faecal carriage of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli from a previous study of patients with travellers’ diarrhoea were included.Results: Forty-one of the patients had a complete follow-up. Ten of these patients (24%) carried ESBL-producing E. coli at the first follow-up point (3–8 months), of whom 4 had a new ESBL strain. At the 3-y follow-up, 4 patients carried ESBL (10%), of whom 1 had 2 new ESBL strains.Conclusions: The long duration of ESBL carriage is worrisome. These carriers may be an important source of the...