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Case report vancomycin -resistant Enterococcus faecium VanA phenotype: first documented isolation in India

Srujana Mohanty1, Benu Dhawan, R S Gadepalli

  • 1Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health
|November 28, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) infections pose a significant threat. This case highlights a fatal VRE sepsis in a child in India, emphasizing the urgent need for infection control.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), particularly Enterococcus faecium, are significant nosocomial pathogens.
  • VRE poses a serious threat to patients with compromised immune systems.

Observation:

  • A 3-year-old child with a patent ductus arteriosus developed a central venous catheter-related infection.
  • The infection was caused by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) with a high-level vancomycin resistance (MIC > or = 256 microg/ml).
  • The VRE isolate was also resistant to teicoplanin, exhibiting the VanA phenotype.

Findings:

  • This represents the first reported isolation of VanA phenotype Enterococcus faecium in India.
  • The child likely succumbed to sepsis caused by this highly resistant VRE strain.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the critical need for enhanced surveillance and infection control measures for VRE in healthcare settings, especially in pediatric populations.
  • The emergence of highly resistant VRE strains necessitates the development of alternative therapeutic strategies and rapid diagnostic methods.
  • Further research is crucial to understand the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of VRE in India.

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