<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><italic>Enterococcus faecalis</italic> and <italic>Enterococcus faecium</italic> are among the main agents associated with nosocomial infections with high mortality in immunocompromised patients. Antibiotic resistance, especially against gentamicin and vancomycin among <italic>Enterococci</italic>, is a risk factor that could increase the morbidity and mortality rate. 179 <italic>Enterococci</italic> isolates from burn patients were included in this study. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done using the disk diffusion test and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was evaluated by agar microdilution. Vancomycin and gentamicin resistance associated genes including <italic>vanA</italic>, <italic>vanB</italic>, <italic>vanC</italic>, <italic>aac (6’)-Ie aph(2’’), aph(3’)-IIIa</italic> and <italic>ant(4’)-Ia</italic> were detected by PCR and their statistical relation with antibiotic resistance was evaluated. <italic>E. faecalis</italic> was the more prevalent strain among our local isolates and showed a higher antibiotic resistance in comparison to <italic>E. faecium</italic>. Vancomycin had a good antibacterial effect on the <italic>Enterococcus</italic> spp. isolates; however, resistance to this antibiotic and a high-level gentamicin resistance (HLGR) phenotype were observed. Among <italic>van</italic> operon genes, <italic>vanA</italic> was the most prevalent gene and among the gentamicin resistance genes, <italic>aph (3’)-IIIa</italic> was more frequent. The HLGR <italic>Enterococci</italic> are a real challenge in nosocomial infections. Vancomycin is a key antibiotic to treat such infections but emergence of VRE in our region could be a real concern and, therefore, phenotypic and molecular surveillance must be considered.</p></abstract>

Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium are among the main agents associated with nosocomial infections with high mortality in immunocompromised patients. Antibiotic resistance, especially against gentamicin and vancomycin among Enterococci, is a risk factor that could increase the morbidity and mortality rate. 179 Enterococci isolates from burn patients were included in this study. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done using the disk diffusion test and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was evaluated by agar microdilution. Vancomycin and gentamicin resistance associated genes including vanA, vanB, vanC, aac (6’)-Ie aph(2’’), aph(3’)-IIIa and ant(4’)-Ia were detected by PCR and their statistical relation with antibiotic resistance was evaluated. E. faecalis was the more prevalent strain among our local isolates and showed a higher antibiotic resistance in comparison to E. faecium. Vancomycin had a good antibacterial effect on the Enterococcus spp. isolates; however, resistance to this antibiotic and a high-level gentamicin resistance (HLGR) phenotype were observed. Among van operon genes, vanA was the most prevalent gene and among the gentamicin resistance genes, aph (3’)-IIIa was more frequent. The HLGR Enterococci are a real challenge in nosocomial infections. Vancomycin is a key antibiotic to treat such infections but emergence of VRE in our region could be a real concern and, therefore, phenotypic and molecular surveillance must be considered.

Emergence of High-level Gentamicin Resistance among <italic>Enterococci</italic> Clinical Isolates from Burn Patients in South-west of Iran: Vancomycin Still Working

Polish Journal of Microbiology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Emergence of High-level Gentamicin Resistance among  Clinical Isolates from Burn Patients in South-west of Iran: Vancomycin Still Working

Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium are among the main agents associated with nosocomial infections with high mortality in immunocompromised...

Emergence of High-level Gentamicin Resistance among Enterococci Clinical Isolates from Burn Patients in South-west of Iran: Vancomycin Still Working

Article Category: original-paper

Published Online: Dec 10, 2018

Page range: 401 - 406

Received: Mar 12, 2018

Accepted: May 20, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/pjm-2018-043

Keywords
gentamicin, burn, vancomycin, drug resistance

© 2018 Maryam Labibzadeh et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Emergence of High-level Gentamicin Resistance among Enterococci Clinical Isolates from Burn Patients in South-west of Iran: Vancomycin Still Working

Article Category: original-paper

Published Online: Dec 10, 2018

Page range: 401 - 406

Received: Mar 12, 2018

Accepted: May 20, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/pjm-2018-043

Keywordsgentamicin, burn, vancomycin, drug resistance

© 2018 Maryam Labibzadeh et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
gentamicin, burn, vancomycin, drug resistance