title: The epidemiological and molecular characterization of vancomycin-resistant enterococci isolated from rectal swab samples of hospitalized patients in Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are a serious problem all over the world. The present study was conducted to investigate antimicrobial resistance patterns, genotypes, clonal relationship, and virulence fac- tors of VRE species isolated from rectal swab samples of hospitalized patients, patient's relatives, and medical staff at Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical School hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  The VRE isolates were typed with an automated VITEK system and their antibiotic sensibilities were analysed by disc diffusion and Etest® method. The molecular characterization and clonal relationships were per- formed using a PCR method and virulence genes by sequence typing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 100 (10.3%) of the 971 patients were colonized with VRE. None of the investigated 25 patient's relatives and 45 medical staff carried VRE. All VRE strains were identified as E. faecium. They were vanA genotype and originated from a single clone. VRE strains exhibited multi-drug resistance. High-level gentamicin-resistance was 93%. However, lower resistance rates were found for linezolid (40%) and quinopristin-dalfopristin (11%). The enterococcal surface protein gene esp was found positive in 87 of 100 isolates, and four strains were positive for the cylB (cytolysin) gene.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The identification of VRE strains to the species level and detection of virulence genes will assist in infection control practices.
authors: Fatma Koksal
authors: FK
authors: Cakirlar
authors: Mustafa
authors: M
authors: Samasti
authors: Ibrahim
authors: I
authors: Baris
authors: Halil
authors: H
authors: Kavakli
authors: Asiye
authors: A
authors: Karakullukcu
authors: Serhat
authors: S
authors: Sirekbasan
authors: Yasar
authors: Y
authors: Bagdatli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D052978:Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012007:Rectum / Q000382:microbiology*; D021521:Ribotyping; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D065507:Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors