title: A 24-hour screening protocol for identification of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium.
abstract: We describe a 24-h protocol for the identification of patients who are positive for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), using stool and rectal swab samples and VRE screening broth, automated DNA extraction, and real-time PCR for vanA and vanB genes. Compared to conventional screening methods, this protocol had a high sensitivity and specificity and a negative predictive value.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Room 3654, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada.
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Drews
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gharabaghi
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roscoe
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matlow
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tellier
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D001331:Automation; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D019729:Carbon-Oxygen Ligases / Q000235:genetics*; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C071437:VanA ligase, Bacteria; C079913:VanB protein, Enterococcus; D014640:Vancomycin; D019729:Carbon-Oxygen Ligases