title: Inhibition of vancomycin-resistant enterococci by an in vitro continuous-flow competitive exclusion culture containing human stool flora.
abstract: An in vitro anaerobic continuous-flow competitive exclusion (CFCE) culture model was used to study the ability of human stool flora to inhibit the growth of vancomycin-resistant (VR) enterococci (VRE). The CFCE culture was established from a stool sample obtained from a healthy adult. When 10(3) or 10(6) cfu/mL of VR Enterococcus faecium were added to the CFCE culture, the VRE were eliminated within 6 or 9 days, respectively. When 10(7) cfu/mL of the CFCE culture was added to a continuous-flow culture that contained 10(7) cfu/mL of VRE, the density of VRE was reduced but not eliminated. These data support the hypothesis that the indigenous intestinal flora inhibit growth of VRE and suggest that CFCE cultures may be a useful means to study interactions between the indigenous flora and VRE.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Section, Louis Stokes Cleveland Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA. curtisd123@yahoo.com
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Donskey
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hume
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Callaway
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Hoyen
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Rice
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000898:Antibiosis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003470:Culture Media; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media