Identification and antibiotic resistance of faecal enterococci isolated from water samples.
We have isolated 47 strains of presumptive faecal streptococci from different water samples. Identification was made by the method of Facklam et al. (1989). Antibiotic resistance was studied on Mueller-Hinton Agar. Twelve antibiotics were tested. High-level aminoglycoside resistance (HLAR) and resistance to glycopeptides were studied. Biochemical identification of presumptive faecal streptococci isolates gave the following results: 19 Enterococcus faecalis, 12 E. faecium, 8 E. hirae, 4 E. durans and 4 E. mundtii. E. mundtii is not included among faecal enterococci. None of the strains were resistant to glycopeptides (vancomycin and teicoplanin). Three strains of Enterococci showed HLAR. Two of them were isolated from coastal bathing waters and the other from wastewater. This suggests that water could contribute to spread of HLAR enterococci and it should be a matter of concern for public health authorities.
Tejedor Junco
M T
MT
Dpto. Microbiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, P.O. BOX 550, ES-35080, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain. Tejedor@cicei.ulpgc.es
González Martín
M
M
Pita Toledo
M L
ML
Lupiola Gómez
P
P
Martín Barrasa
J L
JL
D000617:Aminoglycosides; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001493:Bathing Beaches; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005843:Geography; D006020:Glycopeptides; D013030:Spain; D014871:Water Microbiology
D000617:Aminoglycosides; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D006020:Glycopeptides