Incidence of virulence determinants in clinical Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis isolates collected in Sardinia (Italy).
Enterococci are widely distributed in the environment; within the human body, they are normal commensals of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract and vagina. In recent years, enterococci have become one of the most frequent causes of acquired nosocomial infections worldwide. The molecular mechanism of virulence of these bacteria is still not completely understood. The aims of this work were to characterize phenotypically 47 isolates of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium collected in Sardinia (Italy) by their abilities to adhere to different epithelial cell lines (Vero and Caco-2 cells) and to associate their phenotypes with the presence of known virulence genes detected within their genomes by PCR. The following genes were amplified: AS (aggregation substance), esp (surface protein gene), ace (accessory colonization factor), efaA (E. faecalis endocarditis antigen) and gelE (gelatinase). The virulence genes were detected in E. faecalis isolates only, with the exception of esp, which was found in both species. The phenotypic and genotypic results were also compared with the susceptibility of isolates to various antibiotics.
Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Sezione di Microbiologia Sperimentale e Clinica, Viale S. Pietro 43/B, Università degli studi di Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy 2Istituto di Microbiologia C. A. Romanzi, Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy 3Istituto di Microbiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy#dReceived 29 July 2002 Accepted 4 March 2003.
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Duprè
Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Sezione di Microbiologia Sperimentale e Clinica, Viale S. Pietro 43/B, Università degli studi di Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy 2Istituto di Microbiologia C. A. Romanzi, Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy 3Istituto di Microbiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy#dReceived 29 July 2002 Accepted 4 March 2003.
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Zanetti
Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Sezione di Microbiologia Sperimentale e Clinica, Viale S. Pietro 43/B, Università degli studi di Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy 2Istituto di Microbiologia C. A. Romanzi, Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy 3Istituto di Microbiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy#dReceived 29 July 2002 Accepted 4 March 2003.
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Schito
Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Sezione di Microbiologia Sperimentale e Clinica, Viale S. Pietro 43/B, Università degli studi di Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy 2Istituto di Microbiologia C. A. Romanzi, Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy 3Istituto di Microbiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy#dReceived 29 July 2002 Accepted 4 March 2003.
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Fadda
Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Sezione di Microbiologia Sperimentale e Clinica, Viale S. Pietro 43/B, Università degli studi di Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy 2Istituto di Microbiologia C. A. Romanzi, Università di Genova, Genoa, Italy 3Istituto di Microbiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy#dReceived 29 July 2002 Accepted 4 March 2003.
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Sechi
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005260:Female; D018093:Gelatinases / Q000235:genetics; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010641:Phenotype; D021521:Ribotyping; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
C121675:Ace protein, Enterococcus; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C065937:aggregation substance, Enterococcus faecalis; C116503:efaA protein, Enterococcus faecalis; C116707:enterococcal surface protein, esp; D018093:Gelatinases