Epidémies à entérocoques résistants aux glycopeptides en France : rôle du laboratoire

Enterococci, mostly those belonging to the species Enterococcus faecium, have acquired resistance to glycopeptides (vancomycin and teicoplanin). If the frequency of resistant isolates remains generally low in France, outbreaks due to glycopeptide-resistant enterococci have recently been reported in several hospitals. For prevention of outbreaks, laboratories should be able to identify in routine the resistance to glycopeptides and the bacterial species involved. Glycopeptide-resistant E. faecium or d'Enterococcus faecalis should be distinguished from isolates of Enterococcus gallinarum or E. casseliflavus or of other bacterial species intrinsically resistant to glycopeptides that are not responsible for outbreaks.