Emergence of vanA vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in a hospital in Porto Alegre, South Brazil

Authors

  • Mariah Resende Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
  • Juliana Caierão Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
  • Juliana Gil Prates Mãe de Deus Hospital
  • Gabriel Azambuja Narvaez Mãe de Deus Hospital
  • Cícero Armídio Gomes Dias Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
  • Pedro Alves d'Azevedo Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.4126

Keywords:

vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, PFGE, VRE outbreak

Abstract

Introduction: In Porto Alegre (South Brazil), since the first VRE isolation in 2000 until the middle of the last decade, the epidemiology of enterococcal infections presented the peculiarity that, as opposed to other regions of the country, almost all VRE were E. faecalis. The aim of this study was to investigate the microbiological and epidemiological characteristics of a VRE outbreak that occurred between August 2010 and September 2011 in Porto Alegre, South Brazil.

Methodology: Twenty-nine isolates from inpatients of Mãe de Deus Hospital that were identified and characterized for their susceptibility profile, vancomycin genotype, presence of esp gene, biofilm production, and clonal relationship were collected.  Patients’ records were reviewed for clinical information.

Results: All isolates were identified as vancomycin/ampicillin resistant E. faecium carrying the vanA gene. Almost all were susceptible to gentamicin and streptomycin. Most patients died and were associated with a hemodialysis unit stay. All but the first isolate were clustered in a main clone.

Conclusions: An important change in vancomycin-resistant enterococci was observed. Studies like this are necessary to monitor the dissemination of VRE, especially of some individual clones.

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Published

2014-02-13

How to Cite

1.
Resende M, Caierão J, Prates JG, Narvaez GA, Dias CAG, d’Azevedo PA (2014) Emergence of vanA vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in a hospital in Porto Alegre, South Brazil. J Infect Dev Ctries 8:160–167. doi: 10.3855/jidc.4126

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Original Articles