Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium: catheter colonization, esp gene, and decreased susceptibility to antibiotics in biofilm.

Abstract

To evaluate the molecular characteristics and antibiotic susceptibility in biofilm of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF) organisms that had caused catheter-related VREF bacteremia (VREF-CRB), we compared 22 isolates causing bacteremia obtained from patients with VREF-CRB with 30 isolates from control patients with gastrointestinal colonization by VREF. Using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, we identified 17 unique strains among the 22 VREF-CRB isolates and 23 strains among the gastrointestinal isolates. The esp gene was detected in 53% (9 of 17) of the VREF-CRB and 61% (14 of 23) of the control strains (P = 0.6). VREF-CRB produced heavier biofilm colonization of silicone disks than did control organisms (P < 0.001). Daptomycin, minocycline, and quinupristin-dalfopristin were each independently more active than linezolid in reducing biofilm colonization by VREF-CRB (P < 0.01), with daptomycin being the most active, followed by minocycline. In conclusion, the esp gene in VREF is not associated with heavy biofilm colonization or catheter-related bacteremia. In biofilm, daptomycin and minocycline were the most active antibiotics against VREF, and linezolid was the least active.

• Authors: Issam I Raad, Hend A Hanna, Maha Boktour, Gassan Chaiban, Ray Y Hachem, Tanya Dvorak, Russell Lewis, Barbara E Murray
• Journal: Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy (Antimicrob Agents Chemother) Vol. 49 Issue 12 Pg. 5046-50 (Dec 2005) ISSN: 0066-4804 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16304171 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Bacterial Proteins
• Membrane Proteins
• enterococcal surface protein, esp

Topics

• Anti-Bacterial Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Bacteremia (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Bacterial Proteins (physiology)
• Biofilms (growth & development)
• Catheterization (adverse effects)
• Enterococcus faecium (drug effects, genetics, pathogenicity)
• Gastrointestinal Tract (microbiology)
• Humans
• Membrane Proteins (physiology)
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests
• Vancomycin Resistance (physiology)