Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis in blood of newborns with suspected nosocomial infection

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Neonatal Care

Background:

• Enterococci are opportunistic Gram-positive pathogens causing hospital-acquired infections.
• Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium are common culprits, particularly in vulnerable patients.
• Nosocomial infections in newborns require rapid and accurate diagnostic methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of rapid detection of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis in newborns with suspected nosocomial infections.
• To compare molecular methods (PCR, qPCR) with conventional blood cultures for enterococcal detection.

Main Methods:

• Blood samples from 50 newborns with suspected late-onset nosocomial infections were analyzed.
• Conventional PCR was used to detect Enterococcus faecalis.
• Real-time PCR (qPCR) was employed to detect Enterococcus faecium.

Main Results:

• No enterococci were identified by conventional blood cultures.
• qPCR detected Enterococcus faecium DNA in 8 samples.
• Conventional PCR identified Enterococcus faecalis DNA in 22 samples.

Conclusions:

• Molecular methods like PCR and qPCR offer superior sensitivity for detecting enterococci in neonatal blood compared to blood cultures.
• These techniques can identify Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis in newborns, even when blood cultures are negative.
• Rapid molecular diagnostics are crucial for timely intervention in severe neonatal infections.