Antibiotic and disinfectant susceptibility profiles of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) isolated from community wastewater in Texas.
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.
Beier
Ross C
RC
Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, College Station, TX 77845-4988, USA. rcbeier@ffsru.tamu.edu
Duke
Sara E
SE
Ziprin
Richard L
RL
Harvey
Roger B
RB
Hume
Michael E
ME
Poole
Toni L
TL
Scott
H Morgan
HM
Highfield
Linda D
LD
Alali
Walid Q
WQ
Andrews
Kathleen
K
Anderson
Robin C
RC
Nisbet
David J
DJ
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
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004202:Disinfectants; D012722:Sewage