title: Molecular characterization of Enterococcus spp. clinical isolates from Cairo, Egypt.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Enterococci are responsible for serious diseases such as bacteraemia, endocarditis and urinary tract infections. The ability of enterococci to cause such diseases is due to acquisition of certain virulence factors such as haemolysin, gelatinase and enterococcus surface protein. This study has been conducted to investigate the occurrence of virulence factors and resistance to various antibiotics with emphasis on vancomycin in the Enterococcus spp.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical specimens were collected and isolates were identified by proper microscopic, culture and biochemical tests. Susceptibility and degree of resistance of the isolates to various antibiotics were determined. Virulence factors were examined by phenotypic tests followed by molecular methods. Bioinformatics analysis was used to detect regions in the genomes that might have originated from horizontal gene transfer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence or absence of virulence genes did not affect the pattern of antimicrobial resistance in Enterococcus isolates; consequently, no relationship was found between virulence factors and resistance to different antibiotics used. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the virulence genes were mainly transferred by transposons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among the enterococci, environmental factors may interfere in the expression of virulence factors. Horizontal gene transfer plays an important role in the spread of resistance and virulence genes.
authors: Y A
authors: YA
authors: Hashem
authors: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: A S
authors: AS
authors: Yassin
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Amin
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D037521:Virulence Factors