First report of VanA Enterococcus gallinarum dissemination within an intensive care unit in Argentina

Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2005 Jan;25(1):51-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2004.07.014.

Abstract

Enterococcusgallinarum is intrinsically resistant to low levels of vancomycin and has been described as a colonizing microorganism causing bacteraemia and infection among immunosupresed patients. Between August 2000 and February 2001, 15 highly glycopeptide-resistant E. gallinarum isolates, one from blood and the remaining from rectal swabs, were recovered in a general hospital of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. All isolates were characterized by biochemical assays, and displayed MICs of vancomycin in the range 16-128 mg/l and MICs of teicoplanin in the range 16-32 mg/l. In all cases, PCR analysis yield positive results for both vanC1 and vanA genes. E. gallinarum isolates were classified as two clonal types by SmaI-PFGE: clone A (n = 8) and clone B (n = 7) and both harboured a transferable vanA element.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Argentina / epidemiology
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Carbon-Oxygen Ligases / genetics*
  • Conjugation, Genetic*
  • DNA Transposable Elements
  • Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific / metabolism
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
  • Enterococcus / classification
  • Enterococcus / drug effects*
  • Enterococcus / genetics
  • Gene Transfer, Horizontal
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / epidemiology*
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Intensive Care Units*
  • Male
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Middle Aged
  • Peptide Synthases / genetics
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
  • Population Surveillance
  • Vancomycin / pharmacology
  • Vancomycin Resistance* / genetics

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA Transposable Elements
  • VanA ligase, Bacteria
  • Vancomycin
  • CCCGGG-specific type II deoxyribonucleases
  • Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific
  • Carbon-Oxygen Ligases
  • Peptide Synthases
  • VanC protein, Enterococcus