The prevalence and molecular epidemiology of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) carriage in patients admitted to intensive care units in Beijing, China.

Background: Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) can be carried in the gut for a long period and its carriage status is associated with subsequent infections. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of intestinal VRE carriage in intensive care patients in Beijing.

Methods: A multicenter, retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at six hospitals in Beijing, China.

Evaluation of Quadruple Real-Time PCR Method to Detect Enterococci Carrying Vancomycin-Resistant Genes in Rectal Swabs.

To evaluate the sensitivity and accuracy of the quadruple real-time PCR method for the detection of enterococci carrying vancomycin-resistant genes , and in rectal swabs. Choosing PCR-sequenced DNA extracted directly from rectal swabs as the gold standard, the results of the quadruple real-time PCR method and the traditional method (screening culture combined PCR-sequencing method whose DNA extracted from single colony) were compared with the gold standard. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy of the quadruple real-time PCR method and the traditional method were obtained.

Novel Multidrug-Resistant Enterococcal Mobile Linear Plasmid pELF1 Encoding and Gene Clusters From a Japanese Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci Isolate.

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci are troublesome pathogens in clinical settings because of few treatment options. A VanA/VanM-type vancomycin-resistant clinical isolate was identified in Japan. This strain, named AA708, harbored five plasmids, one of which migrated during agarose gel electrophoresis without S1 nuclease treatment, which is indicative of a linear topology.

Real-time PCR for the rapid detection of vanA, vanB and vanM genes.

Background/purpose: To evaluate the ability of quadruple Taqman probe real-time PCR to the detection of vanA, vanB and vanM in enterococcal isolates.

Methods: A total of 343 strains, including 253 vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) strains and 90 non-VRE strains, were tested by both quadruple Taqman probe real-time PCR and gel-based PCR assay.

Results: When differentiating among three genotypes of vanA, vanB and vanM in VRE strains, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), diagnostic accuracy and consistency of the quadruple Taqman probe real-time PCR were all 100%.

New colony multiplex PCR assays for the detection and discrimination of vancomycin-resistant enterococcal species.

New colony multiplex PCR assays for detection of seven types of vancomycin-resistance determinants and eight types of Enterococcus species were developed. For 135 enterococcal isolates examined in this study, these assays showed high sensitivity and specificity, and could provide the rapid and accurate detection of vancomycin-resistant determinants and Enterococcus spp.