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Isolation of streptogramin-resistant Enterococcus faecium from human and non-human sources in a rural community
Sue Solway1, Lindsey Vincent, Natasha Tian
1Truro Public Health Laboratory, Penventinnie Lane, Treliske, Truro, Cornwall TR1 3LQ, UK. sue_solway@hotmail.com
Objectives:
To detect quinupristin-dalfopristin 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 quinupristin-dalfopristin 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 quinupristin-dalfopristin-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 quinupristin-dalfopristin-resistant strains of E. faecium are uncommon in Cornwall. However streptogramin A-resistant strains were detected from human and animal sources.