Presence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in farm and pet animals

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1996 Oct;40(10):2285-7. doi: 10.1128/AAC.40.10.2285.

Abstract

Enterococcus faecium strains with vanA-mediated glycopeptide resistance were isolated by enrichment culture from the intestines and feces of several animal species, mainly horses and dogs (8% positive), chickens (7% positive), and pigs (6% positive). Other vanA-positive enterococcal strains were identified as E. durans in gallinaceous birds, E. faecalis in a horse, and E. gallinarum in a pheasant. Samples from pigeons, cage birds, and ruminants were negative. It was concluded that vancomycin resistance is widespread among isolates from farm and pet animals.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Domestic / microbiology*
  • Animals, Zoo / microbiology*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Microbial
  • Enterococcus / drug effects*
  • Enterococcus / genetics
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Vancomycin / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Vancomycin