title: Comparison of Seeplex VRE detection kit with ChromID VRE agar for detection of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in rectal swab specimens.
abstract: The performance of the recently developed Seeplex VRE detection kit was compared with chromID VRE agar and the conventional blood agar plate with vancomycin disk (BAP-VA) for detection of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) from 180 rectal swab specimens. After 18 hr enrichment in enterococcosel broth (EB), the sensitivity and specificity for detection of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium were as follows: Seeplex VRE detection kit, 92.5% and 98.9%; chromID VRE agar, 92.5% and 97.8%; BAP-VA, 77.5% and 70.3%, respectively. The reporting times averaged 2, 3.4, and 3.6 days, respectively. The Seeplex VRE detection kit and chromID VRE agar were comparable and were superior to BAP-VA. Unexpectedly, 15.7% of VRE were vanA-positive Enterococcus species other than E. faecium and E. faecalis. Vigilance is suggested to see if these species eventually emerge as significant pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, 505 Banpo-dong, Seocho-ku, Seoul 137-701, Korea.
authors.forename: So-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kang Gyun
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Gun Dong
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jung Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yeon-Joon
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000382:microbiology*; D012007:Rectum / Q000382:microbiology*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D000362:Agar