Abstract

PONESSA, Adriana et al. Vancomycin-resistant enterocci-colonized patients located in critical areas of four hospitals in Rosario City, Argentina. Acta bioquím. clín. latinoam. [online]. 2006, vol.40, n.4, pp.499-502. ISSN 0325-2957.

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have emerged as important pathogenic bacteria all over the world. The first outbreak of infections due to VRE occurred in Rosario in 2000 due to Enterococcus faecium with the Van-A phenotype. As the use of contact isolation precautions for VRE-colonized and infected patients was recommended in order to prevent the spread of vancomycin resistance, a study to determine the level of fecal colonization among patients hospitalized in critical areas was conducted. Samples of rectal swabs were obtained from patients hospitalized in intensive care units of four hospitals in Rosario looking for VRE. Sixty-four cases of colonized patients with VRE were detected among the 565 patients studied. Sixty E. faecium, and two Enterococcus faecalis with the Van-A phenotype, and two Enterococcus gallinarum with the Van-C phenotype were isolated. All the E. faecium and E. faecalis isolates showed MIC > 256 ug/mL against vancomycin, and were susceptible to Linezolid.

Keywords : Enterococcus; Enterococcus faecium; vancomycin-resistant enterococci; colonization; glycopeptide.

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