Species identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing of enterococci isolated from hospitalized patients

A total of 236 enterococci from hospitalized patients were identified to the species level, and their susceptibilities to 11 antibiotics were determined. Overall, 195 (82.6%) and 38 (16.1%) isolates were identified as Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium, respectively, but the species distribution as determined from blood culture isolates differed markedly. A total of 27 (63.2%) E. faecium isolates, but no E. faecalis strains, were ampicillin resistant (MIC, greater than 8 micrograms/ml). High-level gentamicin resistance (MIC, greater than 500 micrograms/ml) was found in 8.2% of E. faecalis isolates but was not seen in other species.