Molecular characterization of a widespread, pathogenic, and antibiotic resistance-receptive Enterococcus faecalis lineage and dissemination of its putative pathogenicity island.

ABSTRACT: Enterococcus faecalis, a common cause of endocarditis and known for its capacity to transfer antibiotic resistance to other pathogens, has recently emerged as an important, multidrug-resistant nosocomial pathogen. However, knowledge of its lineages and the potential of particular clones of this species to disseminate and cause disease is limited. Using a nine-gene multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme, we identified an evolving and widespread clonal complex of E. faecalis that has caused outbreaks and life-threatening infections. Moreover, this unusual clonal complex was found to contain isolates of unexpected relatedness, including the first known U.S. vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (E. faecalis strain V583), the first known penicillinase-producing (Bla(+)) E. faecalis isolate, and

SUBMITTER: Nallapareddy SR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1196071 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature