Related Experiment Videos
Establishment of a typing system for group D streptococci
Zentralblatt Fur Bakteriologie, Mikrobiologie, Und Hygiene. Series A, Medical Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Virology, Parasitology
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Group D streptococci, including Enterococcus faecalis, were characterized using phage typing and enterococcinotypes. This comprehensive typing system effectively differentiated strains, revealing distinct species distributions and common subtypes.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Bacteriology
Background:
- Group D streptococci are significant pathogens, particularly in healthcare settings.
- Accurate differentiation and typing are crucial for epidemiological surveillance and infection control.
- Previous typing methods may lack sufficient discriminatory power for complex bacterial populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To differentiate and type Group D streptococci isolates from intensive care units.
- To assess the distribution of different species and subtypes.
- To evaluate the utility of combined phage typing and enterococcinotyping.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and identification of 971 Group D streptococci isolates from 4037 samples across two intensive care units.
- Application of phage typing to differentiate species, specifically Enterococcus faecalis and other Group D streptococci.
- Characterization using enterococcinotyping based on enterocine production against 15 indicator strains.
Main Results:
- Six species, 25 phage types, and 85 enterococcinotypes were identified.
- Enterococcus faecium was infrequently isolated from extraintestinal sites (5.9%).
- Phage typing demonstrated species specificity, with Enterococcus faecalis (703 isolates) and other Group D streptococci (63 isolates) showing distinct phage type profiles.
- Enterococcinotyping classified isolates into 6 main groups, with Enterococcus faecalis ssp. liquefaciens (618 isolates), phage type V6b (596 isolates), and enterococcine group IVc (568 isolates) being the most prevalent.
- The combined use of markers yielded 187 unique combinations, highlighting the system's discriminatory power.
Conclusions:
- The combined phage typing and enterococcinotyping system provides high discriminatory power for Group D streptococci.
- This comprehensive typing approach is valuable for epidemiological studies and infection control in intensive care settings.
- Understanding the distribution of specific strains, like Enterococcus faecalis, aids in managing healthcare-associated infections.