Detection and characterization of a ST6 clone of vanB2-Enterococcus faecalis from three different hospitals in Spain

Abstract

Thirteen vancomycin-resistant and teicoplanin-susceptible Enterococcus faecalis isolates were recovered from unrelated patients in three Spanish hospitals from November 2009 to December 2010. All isolates carried the vanB2 gene, showed indistinguishable or closely-related PFGE patterns and were ascribed to the sequence type ST6 (included into the high-risk clonal-complex CC2). They showed a multiresistance phenotype (erythromycin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and high-level-resistance to streptomycin, gentamicin and kanamycin) and harboured the aac(6')-aph(2"), ant(6)-Ia, and tet(M)+/-tet(L) genes. All isolates produced gelatinase and harboured the gelE gene, but not the esp or hyl genes. The inclusion of the vanB2 gene into the Tn5382 transposon was demonstrated in one isolate. Clonal dissemination of vanB2-containing the E. faecalis strain is demonstrated.

Detection of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis ST6-vanB2 and E. faecium ST915-vanA in faecal samples of wild Rattus rattus in Spain

“…The detection of the vanB2 gene is highly relevant since it is the second time that this gene is found in enterococcal isolates from animals (Torres et al, 2003) and the first time in wild animals. There have been several outbreaks and clinical cases related to vanB2 positive isolates, both E. faecalis and E. faecium, in the last years in Spain (Ló pez et al, 2012;Nebreda et al, 2007). Our two isolates belonged to the lineage ST6, which is included in the hospital adapted clonal complex CC2 (Ló pez et al, 2012).…”

“…For that, primers and conditions previously described by others were used (Ló pez et al, 2012;Vankerckhoven et al, 2004).…”

“…This gene has been also found in food samples of animal origin (Ló pez et al, 2009). Moreover, the vanB2 mechanism of resistance has been detected in the last years in E. faecalis or E. faecium isolates implicated in hospital outbreaks or in sporadic clinical cases in Spain (Ló pez et al, 2012;Nebreda et al, 2007). Recently, this gene has been identified in one Staphylococcus succinus isolate from a wild songbird (Turdus migratorius) (Ishihara et al, 2013).…”

Characterization of fecal vancomycin-resistant enterococci with acquired and intrinsic resistance mechanisms in wild animals, Spain

“…Analysis of the presence of the virulence genes gelE, cylA, asa, esp, and hyl was performed in isolates with acquired vancomycin resistance mechanisms by PCR [3,22].…”

“…These genes have been identified in isolates causing severe infections or outbreaks in hospital settings [3][4][5]. Moreover, vanA and vanB isolates have also been recovered from animals, water, or food [6][7][8][9].…”