Extended Spectrum Betalactamase Producing Bacteria; Epidemiology and Treatment in Non-hospitalized Patients

Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamases - Treatment, Carriage, Environmental Dissemination And Population Epidemiology

This project aims at investigating the duration of human fecal carriage of bacteria harboring plasmid-borne resistance genes expressing Extended Spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL), risk factors for infections with such bacteria and persistence, mobility and spread of ESBL in the environment and within households. It also aims to compare different methods of detecting ESBL carriage and treat patients with urinary tract infection caused by these bacteria.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients >=18 of age with a urine culture yielding E. coli or K. pneumoniae >10.000 colony forming units/mL.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who have lived in Norway for <1 year
• Patients who are unable to answer a questionaire
• Patients who have been infected with an ESBL producing bacteria before
• Patients who have been admitted to a hospital or a long term care facility for >24 hours during the past 31 days.