Resistencia a Vancomicina en Cepas de Enterococcus faecium Aisladas en un Hospital Universitario
Abstract: Genus Enterococcus species are gram positive cocci, usually inhabitants of human and animal intestinal tracts, but can also be isolated from their environmental sources. They are able to survive a wide range of adverse environmental stress conditions, allowing them to colonize a wide range...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English Spanish |
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Universidad del Zulia,Facultad de Medicina,Departamento de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Tropicales
2011
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doaj.org/article/71b6aa7147254fa09018a2a068fe8bed |
| Summary: | Abstract: Genus Enterococcus species are gram positive cocci, usually inhabitants of human and animal intestinal tracts, but can also be isolated from their environmental sources. They are able to survive a wide range of adverse environmental stress conditions, allowing them to colonize a wide range of niches, including hospital environments. Nosocomial pathogenicity of enterococci has emerged in recent years, as well as their increased resistance to glycopeptide antibiotics. This study attempts to determine the resistance to vancomycin of Enterococcus faecium strains isolated in a university hospital during the January-December period of 2009, as well as to characterize the genetic determinant responsible for its resistance. Methods to determine susceptibility to glycopeptides described by CLSI were used; additionally, the genetic elements responsible for resistance were identified using the polymerase chain reaction. Of the E. faecium strains studied, 48.81% were resistant to vancomycin, and PCR showed presence of the vanA gene that confers high levels of resistance to glycopeptides. Due to the large number of isolates resistant to vancomycin, the presence of a nosocomial outbreak produced by this microorganism was suspected; this epidemic strain possessing a vanA gene is possibly scattered in different services of the institution; therefore, epidemiological studies should be performed to determine the role this microorganism plays in the production of nosocomial infections in the institution under study. Resumen: Las especies que conforman el género Enterococcus, son cocos Gram positivos, que usualmente habitan el tracto intestinal de humanos y animales, pero que también pueden ser aislados de fuentes ambientales. Son capaces de sobrevivir a un amplio rango de condiciones ambientales adversas de estrés, lo que les permite colonizar un amplio rango de nichos, incluidos los ambientes hospitalarios. La patogenicidad nosocomial de los enterococos ha emergido en los últimos años, así como su incrementada ... |
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