First report of VanA Enterococcus gallinarum dissemination within an intensive care unit in Argentina

Enterococcusgallinarum is intrinsically resistant to low levels of vancomycin and has been described as a colonizing microorganism causing bacteraemia and infection among immunosupresed patients. Between August 2000 and February 2001, 15 highly glycopeptide-resistant E. gallinarum isolates, one from blood and the remaining from rectal swabs, were recovered in a general hospital of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. All isolates were characterized by biochemical assays, and displayed MICs of vancomycin in the range 16-128 mg/l and MICs of teicoplanin in the range 16-32 mg/l. In all cases, PCR analysis yield positive results for both vanC1 and vanA genes. E. gallinarum isolates were classified as two clonal types by SmaI-PFGE: clone A (n = 8) and clone B (n = 7) and both harboured a transferable vanA element.