Serotypes and biochemical profiles of British hospital strains of Enterobacter cloacae in relation to site of infection and antibiotic susceptibility.

Comparisons were made between the O-serotype, API 20E profile, site of isolation and antimicrobial resistance of clinical isolates of Enterobacter cloacae. Correlations were found between autoagglutinable strains and urinary-tract infection, and API 20E profile 3305573 and strains isolated from blood. The proportion of strains sensitive to amikacin, gentamicin, cefotaxime, cefuroxime and trimethoprim were 100%, 93%, 91%, 83% and 89%, respectively. No individual resistances or patterns of resistance were associated with O-serotype or biochemical profile. Strains isolated from urinary-tract infections were the most resistant, 40% being resistant to five or more antimicrobials compared to 18%, 12% and 4% for strains from blood, wounds and sputum, respectively. There were no readily identifiable phenotypes within E. cloacae that possessed unique characteristics that could contribute to infections in hospitals.