title: Antibiotic and disinfectant susceptibility profiles of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) isolated from community wastewater in Texas.
abstract: Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) from human wastewater effluents in a nonclinical semiclosed agri-food system in Texas were characterized for susceptibility to antibiotics and disinfectants. The 50 VRE were resistant to eight fluoroquinolones and 10 of 17 antimicrobials typically active against Gram-positive organisms. The VRE were susceptible to quinupristin/dalfopristin and linezolid. Lack of the insertion element IS1251 correlated with VRE susceptibility to streptomycin and gentamicin at p < 0.0001 and p = 0.033, respectively. An association was observed between pulsed-field gel electrophoresis genotypes Ic and II and susceptibility to streptomycin at p = 0.0006. VRE susceptibility for nine disinfectants and five disinfectant components is shown. Ninety-two percent of the isolates had a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for triclosan > or =2 ppm. Triclosan MICs for many of the VRE were well over expected product application levels. No association was observed between antibiotic resistance and disinfectant susceptibility in these VRE. Enterococci multiply-resistant to vancomycin and aminoglycosides were found in a non-hospital environment where one would not expect to find them.
authors.affiliation: Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, College Station, TX 77845-4988, USA. rcbeier@ffsru.tamu.edu
authors.forename: Ross C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Beier
authors.forename: Sara E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Duke
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Ziprin
authors.forename: Roger B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hume
authors.forename: Toni L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Poole
authors.forename: H Morgan
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Linda D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Highfield
authors.forename: Walid Q
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Alali
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: Robin C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Nisbet
mesh_terms: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology*; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004202:Disinfectants; D012722:Sewage