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Selective medium for screening for vancomycin-resistant enterococci in faeces

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Abstract

Infections caused by vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are becoming increasingly prevalent throughout the world. Control measures include detection and isolation of carriers of VRE. A selective medium to detect faecal carriage of VRE is described. The medium has a high productivity ratio (90.4%) for VRE with VanA resistance phenotype, a moderate productivity ratio (79.2%) for VRE with VanB resistance phenotype, and a relatively low productivity ratio (65.5%) for VRE with VanC resistance phenotype. There was no breakthrough of vancomycin-susceptible enterococci. The medium selected the growth of all three types of VRE, which were used to spike faecal specimens. In a limited clinical trial, six faecal specimens of carriers and contacts were screened using the selective medium. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (Enterococcus faecalis, VanA phenotype) were detected in four of the specimens. In all four specimens the growth of VRE was nearly pure and easily identifiable.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NHS Trust, Lewisham Hospital, Lewisham High Street, SE13 6LH, London, UK

    G. Gopal Rao, K. Ghanekar & F. Ojo

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  1. G. Gopal Rao
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  2. K. Ghanekar
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  3. F. Ojo
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Rao, G.G., Ghanekar, K. & Ojo, F. Selective medium for screening for vancomycin-resistant enterococci in faeces. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 15, 175–177 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01591495

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01591495

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