Antimicrobial-resistant CC17 Enterococcus faecium: The past, the present and the future
Terence Lee1, Stanley Pang2, Sam Abraham1
1Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia.
Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance
|August 28, 2018
Summary
Enterococcus faecium, once a gut commensal, is now a major hospital pathogen due to rapid antimicrobial resistance acquisition. Clonal complex 17 (CC17) strains, particularly vancomycin-resistant strains, cause severe infections and pose public health challenges.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Enterococcus faecium is an opportunistic pathogen found in human and animal guts, capable of environmental survival.
- Antimicrobial use has driven rapid acquisition of resistance genes in E. faecium.
- Specific E. faecium clones, known as clonal complex 17 (CC17), have adapted to hospital environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evolution of Enterococcus faecium from commensal to pathogen.
- To examine the characteristics, resistance mechanisms (especially vancomycin resistance), and epidemiology of CC17 E. faecium.
- To discuss potential public health solutions for vancomycin-resistant E. faecium infections.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on E. faecium history, characteristics, and typing schemes.
- Focus on antimicrobial resistance, particularly vancomycin resistance mechanisms.
- Analysis of global epidemiology of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium.
Main Results:
- E. faecium has evolved into a significant cause of hospital-associated infections.
- CC17 E. faecium clones exhibit multiple antimicrobial resistances, including vancomycin resistance.
- Vancomycin resistance in E. faecium is a growing global public health concern.
Conclusions:
- Understanding E. faecium's transition to a pathogen is crucial for infection control.
- Effective strategies are needed to combat the spread of antimicrobial-resistant E. faecium, especially CC17 strains.
- Addressing the public health threat of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium requires multifaceted solutions.
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