Convenient selective differential broth for isolation of vancomycin-resistant enterococcus from fecal material.

Studies have shown that vancomycin broth enrichment is superior to direct plating for the detection of vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE), but vancomycin selective broth is not generally commercially available. We developed an easy-to-prepare VRE selective differential broth and compared it to direct plating on bile esculin azide (BEA) agar for the isolation of VRE from fecal samples. A total of 528 consecutive rectal swabs and stools were inoculated onto BEA agar and into BEA broth with vancomycin at a concentration of 15 microg/ml (BEA VAN15 microg/ml broth).