Comparison of PCR and culture for screening of vancomycin-resistant Enterococci: highly disparate results for vanA and vanB

J Clin Microbiol. 2009 Dec;47(12):4136-7. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01547-09. Epub 2009 Oct 21.

Abstract

We compared PCR to conventional culture for the detection of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in 30,835 rectal samples over a 3-year period. The positive and negative predictive values of vanB PCR were 1.42% and 99.9%, respectively. A positive vanB result by PCR is poorly predictive and necessitates culture for differentiation of VRE-positive and -negative individuals.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Bacteriological Techniques
  • Carbon-Oxygen Ligases / genetics*
  • Culture Media*
  • DNA, Bacterial / analysis
  • DNA, Bacterial / isolation & purification
  • Enterococcus / classification
  • Enterococcus / drug effects*
  • Enterococcus / genetics
  • Enterococcus / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Mass Screening / methods*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Vancomycin Resistance* / genetics

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Culture Media
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • VanA ligase, Bacteria
  • VanB protein, Enterococcus
  • Carbon-Oxygen Ligases