Presence of virulence factors in Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium susceptible and resistant to vancomycin
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
;
108(5): 590-595, ago. 2013. tab
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-680773
ABSTRACT
Despite the increasing importance of Enterococcus as opportunistic pathogens, their virulence factors are still poorly understood. This study determines the frequency of virulence factors in clinical and commensal Enterococcus isolates from inpatients in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Fifty Enterococcus isolates were analysed and the presence of the gelE, asa1 and esp genes was determined. Gelatinase activity and biofilm formation were also tested. The clonal relationships among the isolates were evaluated using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The asa1, gelE and esp genes were identified in 38%, 60% and 76% of all isolates, respectively. The first two genes were more prevalent in Enterococcus faecalis than in Enterococcus faecium, as was biofilm formation, which was associated with gelE and asa1 genes, but not with the esp gene. The presence of gelE and the activity of gelatinase were not fully concordant. No relationship was observed among any virulence factors and specific subclones of E. faecalis or E. faecium resistant to vancomycin. In conclusion, E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates showed significantly different patterns of virulence determinants. Neither the source of isolation nor the clonal relationship or vancomycin resistance influenced their distribution.
Full text:
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Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Vancomycin
/
Enterococcus faecium
/
Enterococcus faecalis
/
Virulence Factors
/
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Type of study:
Prognostic study
Language:
English
Journal:
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
Journal subject:
Tropical Medicine
/
Parasitology
Year:
2013
Type:
Article
/
Project document
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Universidade Federal de Ciencias da Saude de Porto Alegre/BR
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