Six VanB phenotype-vanA genotype isolates of Enterococcus faecium with heterogeneous expression of teicoplanin resistance which gave rise to an outbreak at a Korean tertiary care teaching hospital have IS1216V in the coding region of vanS. This could be the underlying cause of the VanB phenotype-vanA genotype with heterogeneous expression of teicoplanin resistance.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS The transferability of vanA and vanB glycopeptide resistance determinants with a defined plasmid (n = 9) or chromosomal (n = 4) location between Enterococcus faecium strains of human and animal origins was compared using filter mating (in vitro) and germ-free mice (in vivo) as experimental models. Moreover, the stability of exconjugants in vivo in the absence of antibioti...

The gene loci vdh, vanA, and vanB, which are involved in the bioconversion of vanillin to protocatechuate by Pseudomonas sp. strain HR199 (DSM 7063), were identified as the structural genes of a novel vanillin dehydrogenase (vdh) and the two subunits of a vanillate demethylase (vanA and vanB), respectively. These genes were localized on an EcoRI fragment (E230), which was cloned from a Pseudomo...

Glycopeptide-resistant enterococci (GRE) associated with multiple antibiotic resistance present a major challenge to clinical practice and infection control due to limited or nonexistent antimicrobial treatment options. The genes encoding VanA- and VanB-type glycopeptide resistance have been shown to reside on transposons Tn1546 and Tn1547, respectively. These transferable genetic elements may ...

Between August 1994 and September 1996, 28 glycopeptide-resistant enterococci (GRE) were isolated from 8 infected patients and 11 intestinal carriers hospitalized at the University Hospital of Geneva. Identification to the species was made by both phenotypic (API 20 STREP and Rapid ID 32 STREP systems, and Vitek Gram Positive Identification Card) and genotypic methods using a multiplex PCR assa...

Enterococci with acquired resistance to vancomycin and other glycopeptides (VRE) have emerged and spread rapidly through Europe and the United States since 1988. The first isolate of VRE in Australia occurred in 1994. Only one case was noted in 1995. Since March 1996 there has been a steady increase in the number of reports of VRE throughout the country. To August 1998 there have been 69 docume...

The ability of vancomycin resistance determinants to be horizontally transferred within enterococci species is a concern. Identification and characterization of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in a clinical isolate have a significant impact on infection control practices. In this study, we describe a clinical isolate of Enterococcus gallinarum exhibiting high-level resistance to vancomyc...

Acquired VanA- and VanB-type glycopeptide resistance in enterococci is due to synthesis of modified peptidoglycan precursors terminating in D-lactate. As opposed to VanA-type strains which are resistant to both vancomycin and teicoplanin, VanB-type strains remain teicoplanin susceptible. We have determined the sequence of a 7,160-bp DNA fragment associated with VanB-type resistance in Enterococ...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in urinary isolates in North America, and the activity of various antibiotics against VRE. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-eight medical centres in the United States and 10 centres in Canada assessed the prevalence of VRE in urinary isolates in 2002. Each study site was asked to collect up...

Three of five natural plasmids carrying a wild-type vanA gene cluster did not confer LY333328 glycopeptide resistance on Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2 (MIC = 2 microg/ml). The two remaining plasmids conferred resistance to the drug (MIC, 8 microg/ml). The vanB gene cluster did not confer resistance to LY333328, since this antibiotic was not an inducer. Mutations in the vanS(B) sensor gene that al...