Duration of outpatient fecal colonization due to Escherichia coli isolates with decreased susceptibility to fluoroquinolones:: Longitudinal study of patients recently discharged from the hospital

Among 10 subjects colonized with Escherichia coli isolates with reduced susceptibility to fluoroquinolones, the median duration of colonization following hospital discharge was 80 days (range, 8 to 172 days). Colonization was longer for isolates demonstrating organic-solvent tolerance than for isolates that were not organic-solvent tolerant (151 versus 29 days, respectively; P = 0.07) but was not associated with other resistance mechanisms, demographics, or antibiotic use.