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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 16, 2026

A 1.5 Hour Procedure for Identification of Enterococcus Species Directly from Blood Cultures

A 1.5 Hour Procedure for Identification of Enterococcus Species Directly from Blood Cultures

Published on: February 10, 2011

Ecological replacement of Enterococcus faecalis by multiresistant clonal complex 17 Enterococcus faecium.

J Top¹, R Willems, H Blok

¹Eijkman-Winkler Institute for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Inflammation, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. j.top@umcutrecht.nl

Clinical Microbiology and Infection : the Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

|March 30, 2007

Summary

Ampicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (AREfm) infections surged in a European hospital, rising from 2% to 32% between 1994 and 2005. Most AREfm isolates belonged to clonal complex 17 (CC17), raising concerns for future vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VREF) emergence.

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Last Updated: Jul 16, 2026

A 1.5 Hour Procedure for Identification of Enterococcus Species Directly from Blood Cultures

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Published on: February 10, 2011

Testing the Role of Multicopy Plasmids in the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance

Testing the Role of Multicopy Plasmids in the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance

Published on: May 2, 2018

Area of Science:

Clinical Microbiology
Infectious Diseases
Epidemiology

Background:

Enterococcal infections pose a significant healthcare challenge.
The rise of antibiotic resistance in Enterococcus faecium is a growing concern.
Ampicillin resistance in Enterococcus faecium (AREfm) has been observed in European hospitals.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the epidemiological trends of ampicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (AREfm) in a European hospital.
To identify risk factors associated with AREfm colonization.
To determine the genetic relatedness of AREfm isolates and assess potential future resistance emergence.

Main Methods:

Retrospective analysis of AREfm infection data from 1994 to 2005.
Multivariate analysis to identify risk factors for AREfm colonization.
Genotyping of AREfm isolates using established methods.

Main Results:

The proportion of AREfm infections increased from 2% in 1994 to 32% in 2005.
Prevalence rates of AREfm reached up to 35% in several hospital wards.
Diabetes mellitus, multiple prior admissions, and use of beta-lactams and fluoroquinolones were associated with AREfm colonization.
97% of genotyped AREfm isolates belonged to clonal complex 17 (CC17).

Conclusions:

A significant increase in ampicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (AREfm) has been observed in this European hospital.
Specific patient factors and antibiotic exposures are linked to AREfm colonization.
The dominance of clonal complex 17 (CC17) in AREfm isolates may foreshadow the emergence of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VREF) in European healthcare settings.