Abstract
Aim: This study investigated distribution of enterococci colonizing intestinal tract of infants and has determined their putative virulence factors and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Methods: A total of 82/186 (44.1%) fecal enterococcal isolates were recovered from infants. All enterococci isolates were identified either E. faecalis or E. faecium using culture and PCR. Results: A significant higher intestinal colonization of enterococci was detected among non-hospitalized compared to hospitalized patients with a percentage of (72 % vs. 28%), respectively . E.faecalis was the predominant species in both groups (75.6%). It had also significantly higher virulence factors genes than E. faecium ,while E. faecium had higher rates of antimicrobial resistance than E.faecalis. Conclusion: This study shows significantly higher rate of intestinal colonization of E.faecalis than E. faecium of hospitalized and non-hospitalized infants, and E.faecalis carried significantly higher potential virulence genes than E. faecium. Key word: Fecal enterococci, Infants, Antimicrobial resistance, Virulence factorsShort title: Fecal ente
Highlights
Material and MethodsIn recent years, enterococci have emerged as important pathogens, in immuoncompromised patients and intensive care units
A total of 82/196 (44.1%) isolates of Enterococcus spp were recovered from fecal samples, of these 62 E. faecalis (19 inpatients and 43 from outpatients) and 20 E. faecium (4 from inpatients and 16 from outpatients) isolates were identified (Table 1)
This study demonstrates that intestines of Jordanian infants aged less than one year admitted to outpatients clinics or neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Jordan University Hospital (JUH), were frequently colonized with enterococci (44 %)
Summary
A total of 186 hospitalized and non-hospitalized infants aged between one day and one year were included in this study. A total of 82/196 (44.1%) isolates of Enterococcus spp were recovered from fecal samples, of these 62 E. faecalis (19 inpatients and 43 from outpatients) and 20 E. faecium (4 from inpatients and 16 from outpatients) isolates were identified (Table 1). E. faecalis has significantly more virulence determinant genes (efaA fs, ace, esp, gel E, cylA) than the E. faecium isolates. The virulence gene (efaA fm) was detected only in 65% of E. faecium isolates (Table 3)
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