To check or not to check. Rectal ESBL colonization in hospitalized elderly patients.

Background: The worldwide spread of extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria has affected health care. ESBL confers resistance to the majority of beta-lactam antibiotics.

Materials And Methods: We intended to quantify the rates of rectal ESBL-positive and negative patients that eventually developed fever and urinary tract infection (UTI).