Evaluation of Spectra VRE, a new chromogenic agar medium designed to screen for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium

J Clin Microbiol. 2010 Dec;48(12):4627-9. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01676-10. Epub 2010 Oct 13.

Abstract

Spectra VRE (Remel, Lenexa, KS) is a chromogenic medium designed to recover and differentiate vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis (VRE). This medium was compared to bile esculin azide agar (BEAV) and was 98.2% sensitive and 99.3% specific compared to BEAV, which was 87.6% sensitive and 87.1% specific at 24 h.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Agar
  • Bacteriological Techniques / methods*
  • Chromogenic Compounds / metabolism
  • Culture Media / chemistry*
  • Enterococcus faecalis / drug effects*
  • Enterococcus faecalis / isolation & purification
  • Enterococcus faecium / drug effects*
  • Enterococcus faecium / isolation & purification
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Vancomycin Resistance*

Substances

  • Chromogenic Compounds
  • Culture Media
  • Agar