Presence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in farm and pet animals.
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.
Devriese
L A
LA
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghent, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Ieven
M
M
Goossens
H
H
Vandamme
P
P
Pot
B
B
Hommez
J
J
Haesebrouck
F
F
D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000382:microbiology*; D000836:Animals, Zoo / Q000382:microbiology*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014640:Vancomycin