Comparison of Genotypic Diversity and Vancomycin Resistance of Enterococci Isolated from Foods and Clinical Sources in Adana Region of Turkey

WOS: 000328083200018In this research, genetic diversity and vancomycin resistance patterns were studied and also evaluated as a possible transfusion of vancomycin resistance that may be found from foods to clinical settings between 51 Enterococcus spp. isolated from food and 50 human clinical originated Enterococcus faecium strains in Adana Region. Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed by Vitek-II system and disc diffusion method respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of clinical isolates were confirmed by E-test and the presence of vanA and vanB genes were investigated by PCR method. Apart from one isolate, none of the food enterococci were resistant to vancomycin, and none of them carried vanA and vanB resistance genes. All clinical isolates were resistant to vancomycin, and 84% of these isolates carried vanA; 2%, vanB; and 14% neither vanA nor vanB genes. Genetic diversity within each group; 6 clusters of colonization isolates and 5 clusters of food isolates were found to be closely related by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis method. Although no genetic relation was found among foods and human clinical infection isolates; 2 clusters of foods and human intestinal isolates were found to be closely related. Finally, vancomycin sensitive E. faecium strains from food colonized in humans acquired vanA and vanB resistance genes and are thought to be a reservoir for vancomycin resistance. These results revealed that food enterococci should be carefully monitored in food industry in terms of their genetic relation to infection species.Cukurova University Research Fund (BAP Project)Cukurova University [ZF2010D12]This study was supported by Cukurova University Research Fund (BAP Project number: ZF2010D12