Abstract
Objectives:Emerging cases of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are detrimental for the patients. The current study aimed to ascertain the occurrence of VRE, their antibiogram and the van genotype responsible for vancomycin resistance.Methods:A total number of 2,958 clinical specimens were processed at Microbiology Department of the Alrazi Health Care, Lahore during the one year (2016-2017) using microbiological culture media, biochemical and serology. Antibiogram of enterococcal strains was performed using disc diffusion and E-test. ATCC Enterococcus faecalis 29212 was used as a quality control strain. The detection of van genotypes was accomplished by multiplex PCR assay.Results:Out of the 147 enterococci, 139 (94.6%) were E. faecalis, and 8 (5.4%) were E. faecium. Statistically significant associations of urine (p < 0.001), pus (p < 0.001) and wound swabs (p = 0.001) were observed with E. faecalis. A significant correlation of enterococcal infections (p = 0.05) was seen with female patients. Four (2.9%) strains of E. faecalis found to be VRE with vanB (75%) and vanA (25%) genotypes.Conclusion:The emerging strains of VRE (vanB and vanA genotype) in the current study are a potential menace for therapeutic failure, which left the physicians with only linezolid as a therapeutic option.
Highlights
Enterococcus species were considered to be harmless and unimportant to humans medically many years ago
A total of 147 enterococcal strains were isolated from 2,958 different clinical isolates, amongst which 139 (94.6%) were E. faecalis and eight (5.4%) were E. faecium
No statistically significant relationship of E. faecalis or E. faecium found with the other sources
Summary
Enterococcus species were considered to be harmless and unimportant to humans medically many years ago. 1. Dr Hasan Ejaz, PhD, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, CAMS, Jouf University, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia. Correspondence: May 26, 2019 August 26, 2019 August 28, 2019 which are mainly residents of gastrointestinal (GI) tract of humans and animals but they have been contributed approximately 80-90% of human enterococcal infections in which E. faecalis and E. faecium play the major part.[2] They have emerged as a significant part of nosocomial pathogens among others and are a reason for increased rate of mortality.[3] Multidrug-resistant enterococcal infections should be given the same significance as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcal infections and the infections caused by extended-spectrum betalactamase-producing bacterial strains.[4,5,6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
