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Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium of multi locus sequence type 18 in Malaysia

L W Poh1, A W Rukman, Y K Cheah

  • 1Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. mariana@medic.upm.edu.my.

The Medical Journal of Malaysia
|June 18, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF), a high-risk pathogen, is dominant in hospitals. This study identified a new strain of VREF in Malaysia, highlighting the need for surveillance of this resistant bacteria.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF) is a significant cause of hospital-acquired infections globally.
  • The high-risk, epidemic clonal complex-17 (CC17) group dominates VREF infections due to treatment limitations and high conjugation frequency.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the genetic relatedness and molecular typing of VREF strains from human infections.
  • To identify the presence and characteristics of VREF, specifically CC17, in Malaysia.

Main Methods:

  • Pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to assess DNA similarity between VREF strains.
  • Multi locus sequence typing (MLST) was employed to determine the sequence types (STs) of the VREF isolates.

Main Results:

  • Two VREF strains (A2 and C) showed clonal relatedness via PFGE analysis.
  • Three strains (A1, B, and C) were identified as ST 18 type.
  • Strain A2 was identified as a novel ST, designated ST 596.
  • The ST 18 type VREF strain represents the first reported occurrence in Malaysia.

Conclusions:

  • The findings indicate the presence of genetically related VREF strains, including the epidemic CC17 group, in Malaysia.
  • The identification of a novel ST (ST 596) and the first ST 18 in Malaysia underscores the evolving epidemiology of VREF.
  • These results emphasize the importance of molecular surveillance for tracking VREF clonal expansion and informing infection control strategies.

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