Genetic analysis of multiple vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus isolates obtained serially from two long-term-care patients.
Fifty-eight vancomycin-resistant enterococcal isolates were obtained from two patients over 9 weeks. Numerous pulsed-field gel electrophoresis fingerprinting types were isolated from each patient. By PCR, all isolates were vanA+. However, many isolates from patient B were found to lack vanA by hybridization. Our results demonstrate the importance of examining multiple isolates, especially from patients who are at high risk of infection.
Schoonmaker
D J
DJ
Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany 12208, USA. djs03@health.state.ny.us
Bopp
L H
LH
Baltch
A L
AL
Smith
R P
RP
Rafferty
M E
ME
George
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D019729:Carbon-Oxygen Ligases / Q000235:genetics*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000235:genetics; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C071437:VanA ligase, Bacteria; D014640:Vancomycin; D019729:Carbon-Oxygen Ligases