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