title: Enterococcus faecium-related outbreak with molecular evidence of transmission from pigs to humans.
abstract: Between 24 July and 31 August 1998, thousands of domestic pigs died of hemorrhagic shock in three adjunct counties along the YangZi River in Jiangshu Province, China. From 28 July to 6 September 1998, 40 local farmers (36 males and 4 females, ages 23 to 78 years) were hospitalized with severe illness characterized by high fever, erythematous rash or petechiae, and profound lethargy after contact with sick pigs. Twelve (30%) of these patients died of respiratory failure and shock. Eleven bacterial isolates recovered from 11 blood and cerebrospinal fluid specimens collected from seven patients and two pigs were identified as Enterococcus faecium based on biochemical reactions and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Both pig and human E. faecium isolates displayed indistinguishable antibiotic susceptibility and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns. These data strongly suggest the spread of an outbreak of E. faecium-related sepsis from pigs to humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hong-Zhou
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Xin-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Haijing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: You-Kuan
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Mao-Yin
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Yi-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S