Comparison of the Rodac imprint method to selective enrichment broth for recovery of vancomycin-resistant enterococci and drug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae from environmental surfaces

J Clin Microbiol. 2000 Dec;38(12):4646-8. doi: 10.1128/JCM.38.12.4646-4648.2000.

Abstract

We compared the Rodac imprint technique to selective enrichment broth for detecting vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (MDRE) on surfaces. Rodac plates contained tryptic soy agar with 5% sheep blood, vancomycin (6 microg/ml), ceftazidime (2 microg/ml), amphotericin B (2 microg/ml), and clindamycin (1 microg/ml). Two types of broth were used: brain heart infusion (BHI) and BHI plus vancomycin (6 microg/ml) and ceftazidime (2 microg/ml) (BHIVC). Of the 46 surfaces cultured for VRE, 12 (26%) were positive. Of the 12 VRE-positive surfaces, 11 (92%) grew from Rodac, 8 (67%) grew from BHIVC, and 7 (58%) grew from BHI. A larger study is needed for MDRE, as only 4 of 43 surfaces were MDRE positive. The Rodac imprint technique successfully recovered VRE from environmental surfaces.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Culture Media
  • Drug Resistance, Microbial
  • Enterobacteriaceae / drug effects
  • Enterobacteriaceae / isolation & purification*
  • Enterococcus / drug effects
  • Enterococcus / isolation & purification*
  • Environmental Microbiology*
  • Vancomycin Resistance*

Substances

  • Culture Media