[Gene examination methods (detection and genotyping of resistant genes)--VRE]

There are six types of resistant genes in vancomycin-resistant enterococci: vanA, vanB, vanC-1, vanC-2, vanC-3, and vanD. The typing of the resistant genes is essential in clinical settings because the kind of a resistant gene implies susceptibility of an organism to glycopeptides and because strict infection control practices are required when vanA or vanB gene, which is encoded on plasmids and transmissible to other organisms, is detected. We describe methods of detecting and typing vancomycin-resistant genes, which are routinely performed in our laboratory.