JAC Advance Access originally published online on September 1, 2003
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Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (2003) 52, 707-710
© 2003 The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
Isolation of streptogramin-resistant Enterococcus faecium from human and non-human sources in a rural community
1 Truro Public Health Laboratory, Penventinnie Lane, Treliske, Truro, Cornwall TR1 3LQ; 2 Antibiotic Resistance Monitoring and Reference Laboratory, Central Public Health Laboratory, London NW9 5HT, UK
Received 9 April 2003; returned 6 May 2003; revised 22 June 2003; accepted 25 June 2003
Objectives: To detect quinupristindalfopristin and virginiamycin M1 resistance in Enterococcus faecium from human, food and environmental sources.
Materials and methods: Enterococcal isolates derived from human faeces and urine, meat and seawater were screened for resistance to quinupristindalfopristin and virginiamycin M1 by an agar dilution method. Identification of all E. faecium strains and the presence of streptogramin acetyltransferase genes were confirmed using a PCR method.
Results: No high-level quinupristindalfopristin-resistant strains were isolated. Two isolates from faeces and five from seawater were confirmed to be high-level virginiamycin M1-resistant E. faecium (MIC 32 mg/L); none of these carried the vat(D) or vat(E) acetyltransferase genes that mediate high-level resistance to streptogramin A compounds.
Conclusion: High-level quinupristindalfopristin-resistant strains of E. faecium are uncommon in Cornwall. However streptogramin A-resistant strains were detected from human and animal sources.
Keywords: antibiotic resistance, animal husbandry, epidemiology
* Corresponding author. Tel: +44-1872-254900; Fax: +44-1872-222198; E-mail: sue_solway{at}hotmail.com