Emerging linezolid-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolated from two Austrian patients in the same intensive care unit

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2002 Oct;21(10):751-4. doi: 10.1007/s10096-002-0807-0. Epub 2002 Sep 13.

Abstract

Of two patients in the same intensive care unit who were treated with linezolid, one yielded linezolid-resistant Enterococcus faecalis, whereas the other yielded linezolid-resistant Enterococcus faecium. In each case, molecular typing indicated that the resistant isolates were related to linezolid-susceptible isolates from the same patient, but differed from them by the same G2576U ribosomal RNA mutation. This is the first clinical case report of emerging resistance to linezolid among Enterococcus faecalis and also the first report of resistance involving vancomycin-susceptible rather than vancomycin-resistant enterococci. The linezolid-resistant isolates showed cross-resistance to the experimental oxazolidinone AZD2563, suggesting that oxazolidinone resistance might be a class effect.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acetamides / pharmacology*
  • Aged
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Austria
  • Base Sequence
  • Cross Infection / diagnosis
  • Cross Infection / microbiology*
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Drug Resistance, Microbial
  • Enterococcus faecalis / drug effects*
  • Enterococcus faecalis / isolation & purification
  • Enterococcus faecium / drug effects*
  • Enterococcus faecium / isolation & purification
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Intensive Care Units
  • Linezolid
  • Male
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oxazolidinones / pharmacology*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • Acetamides
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Oxazolidinones
  • Linezolid

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AF053964
  • GENBANK/AJ295305