Antimicrobial susceptibility of vancomycin-susceptible and -resistant enterococci isolated in Italy from raw meat products, farm animals, and human infections.

The susceptibility of vancomycin-resistant (VRE) and vancomycin-susceptible (VSE) enterococci to 10 antimicrobial agents was evaluated. The strains, belonging to different species, were isolated in Italy from raw meat products, farm animals, and human clinical infections in the years 1997-2000. High frequency of resistance to tetracycline and erythromycin was observed in all the groups of strains.