Vancomycin resistance is maintained in enterococci in the viable but nonculturable state and after division is resumed.
Stressed vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) can activate a survival strategy known as the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state and are able to maintain vancomycin resistance. During restoration of division they continue to express the vancomycin resistance trait. We suggest that VBNC enterococci may constitute further reservoirs of VRE and therefore represent an additional risk for human health.
Lleò
Maria Mar
MM
Dipartimento di Patologia-Sezione di Microbiologia, Università di Verona, Italy. mlleo@univr.it
Bonato
Barbara
B
Signoretto
Caterina
C
Canepari
Pietro
P
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D019729:Carbon-Oxygen Ligases / Q000235:genetics; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D006801:Humans; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C071437:VanA ligase, Bacteria; C079913:VanB protein, Enterococcus; D019729:Carbon-Oxygen Ligases