User:Paul MAWEU

Author Dr.Paul Maweu/Prof Driscillar Heterogeny of Plasmids in Enterococcus with the component vat(E) ___________________________________________________________________________

W.E Driscillar1*, P.M Maweu2

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Abstract

To compare characteristic of Vat(E) carrying plasmids. A total of 34 quinupristin-dalfopristin (Q/D)-resistant E. faecium isolates (33 from 7 poultry farms and 1 from an outpatient) was analysed in this study. Q/D MICs (Minimal Inhibitory Concentration) of the E. faecium isolates ranged from 4 to 32 mg/ml. PCR detected the presence of vat(E) in all isolates. Using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), 14 distinct PFGE patterns were identified. The E. faecium isolate from human was distinguishable from the 33 farm isolates by PFGE. Southern hybridization localized the vat(E) gene to a single plasmid approximately 11 kb in size, and resulted in five plasmid hybridization types. The vat(E) carrying plasmid from the human isolate showed nearly identical hybridization patterns to a plasmid from E. faecium recovered on a chicken farm. This study showed that a vat(E), conferring resistance to Q/D, is carried on different plasmids in a heterogeneous population of E. faecium, some of which may be acquired by isolates capable of infecting humans. d-wasia@yahoo.co.uk
 * To whom correspondence should be addressed

Key words: Serogrouping cell culture Plasmid, heterogeneous population, hybridization, ____________________________________________________________________