Clinical relevance of Proteus mirabilis in hospital patients: a two year survey

A retrospective study was performed on 1072 non-duplicate isolates of Proteus mirabilis, taken in the period April 1996 to March 1998, and on 100 patient charts randomly selected during the same period. P. mirabilis isolates accounted for 7.7% of Enterobacteriaceae. The isolates were predominantly from urine (70.2%); of the total, 38.0% were penicillinase-producing isolates, 6.9% were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing isolates and 3.6% produced inhibitor-resistant beta-lactamase (IRB). ESBL-producing isolates were observed in long-stay and intensive care and IRB-producing isolates in paediatric units. Of the 95 patients whose charts were examined, 69 had a confirmed infection, which in 42 cases was nosocomial.