Related Experiment Videos
Clinical isolation of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis in Taiwan
1Department of Medicine, 802 Army General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association = Taiwan Yi Zhi
|December 1, 1996
Summary
The first vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis strain in Taiwan, AH803, was identified in a patient with pneumonia. This vanA-positive isolate showed high resistance to vancomycin and gentamicin.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) pose a significant global health threat.
- Enterococcus faecalis is a common cause of healthcare-associated infections.
- Surveillance for VRE is crucial for infection control.
Observation:
- A vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis strain (AH803) was isolated from a Taiwanese patient with pneumonia and bacteremia.
- This marked the first documented clinical isolation of VRE in Taiwan.
- The isolate exhibited high-level resistance to vancomycin (MIC = 512 µg/mL) and gentamicin (MIC > 2000 µg/mL).
Findings:
- The AH803 strain possessed the vanA gene, conferring vancomycin resistance.
- Susceptibility was observed for teicoplanin (MIC = 8 µg/mL) and ampicillin (MIC = 2 µg/mL).
- Polymerase chain reaction confirmed the presence of vanA but not vanB genes.
Implications:
- This isolation highlights the emergence of VRE in Taiwan, necessitating enhanced surveillance and infection control measures.
- The findings underscore the importance of antimicrobial susceptibility testing for guiding treatment of enterococcal infections.
- Understanding VRE epidemiology is critical for developing effective strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance.