Outbreak of infections in a Greek university hospital involving a single clone of high-level aminoglycoside-resistant Enterococcus faecalis

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2000 Dec;21(12):786-9. doi: 10.1086/501737.

Abstract

Among 145 Enterococcus faecalis isolates recovered during a 15-month period (April 1997-June 1998) in AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece, 94 (65%) exhibited high-level resistance to gentamicin or streptomycin and 61 (42%) to both aminoglycosides; 73% of the high-level aminoglycoside-resistant E. faecalis isolates belonged to a single clone carrying the gene aac(6')-Ie-aph(2")-Ia. These findings differ from those of other regions, where high-level aminoglycoside-resistance genes are dispersed into genetically unrelated strains.

MeSH terms

  • Aminoglycosides
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cross Infection
  • DNA, Bacterial / analysis
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Drug Resistance, Microbial
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
  • Enterococcus faecalis / drug effects
  • Enterococcus faecalis / genetics
  • Enterococcus faecalis / pathogenicity*
  • Greece / epidemiology
  • Hospitals, University
  • Humans

Substances

  • Aminoglycosides
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • DNA, Bacterial