Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on May 4, 2025.
AMBULATORY CARE:
Extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)
is an enzyme made by some bacteria. The enzyme prevents certain antibiotics from being able to kill the bacteria. The bacteria then become resistant to the antibiotics. This means stronger antibiotics must be used to kill the bacteria. ESBL infections usually occur in the urinary tract, lungs, skin, blood, or abdomen. ESBL infections are serious and can be life-threatening.
How ESBL is spread:
- ESBL can live on surfaces such as doorknobs or toilets. Bacteria that produce ESBL can be spread to surfaces that are touched by someone who has contact with the bacteria.
- You can breathe in the bacteria through droplets when a person with an ESBL infection coughs or sneezes nearby.
Call your doctor if:
- You have a fever, even after 3 days of antibiotic treatment.
- You have questions or concerns about your condition or care.
Treatment
may require hospital stays and long-term follow-up care. Any delay in treatment can worsen the infection. Healthcare providers will do tests to find which antibiotics still work against the bacteria that are causing your infection. Several kinds of antibiotics may need to be tried. You may be given 2 or more antibiotics at the same time. Your provider may ask if you received antibiotics within the past month. You may need different antibiotics to lower the risk for resistance.
Help prevent the spread of ESBL:
- Wash your hands often. Wash your hands several times each day. Wash after you use the bathroom, change a child's diaper, and before you prepare or eat food. Use soap and water every time. Rub your soapy hands together, lacing your fingers. Wash the front and back of your hands, and in between your fingers. Use the fingers of one hand to scrub under the fingernails of the other hand. Wash for at least 20 seconds. Rinse with warm, running water for several seconds. Then dry your hands with a clean towel or paper towel. Use hand sanitizer that contains alcohol if soap and water are not available. Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth without washing your hands first.
- Clean surfaces. Clean doorknobs, tables, and toilets often. Ask your healthcare provider what kind of cleaner to use.
- Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Use tissues or a cloth. Throw away the tissue after you use it. Use the bend of your arm if you do not have a tissue.
- Prevent another infection. Stay at least 3 feet away from people who are coughing or sneezing.
- Take antibiotics as directed. Do not stop taking your antibiotic, even if you start to feel better. The infection may return if you do not take all of your antibiotic. Follow up with your healthcare provider as directed. Do not take antibiotics when you do not need them. Do not share antibiotics or take other people's antibiotic medicine. Overuse of antibiotics can kill the good bacteria in your body.
- Ask about vaccines you may need. Get a flu vaccine as soon as recommended each year, usually starting in September or October. Get a COVID-19 vaccine and recommended booster doses. Your healthcare provider can tell you if you also need other vaccines, and when to get them.
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Follow up with your doctor as directed:
You may need to see an infectious disease specialist. Write down your questions so you remember to ask them during your visits.
For more information:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
1600 Clifton Road
Atlanta , GA 30333
Phone: 1- 800 - 232-4636
Web Address: http://www.cdc.gov/
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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.
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