Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium of multi locus sequence type 18 in Malaysia

Author: Poh Leng Weng ; Rukman Awang Hamat ; Yoke Kqueen Cheah ; Norita Zainol ; Muhammad Nazri Aziz
Publication Type:Letter
Keywords: Vancomycin resistance, Enterococcus faecium, Clonal complex-17
From: The Medical Journal of Malaysia 2012;67(6):639-640
CountryMalaysia
Language:English
Abstract: Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF) in human infections mostly belong to the high-risk, epidemic, clonal complex-17 (CC17) group. Treatment limitation and high conjugation frequency makes it dominant in hospitals worldwide. We investigated positive cultures by Pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), multi locus sequence typing (MLST). DNA of two strains (A2 and C) appeared to be clonally related by PFGE. Three strains were of ST 18 type (A1, B and C) and strain A2 is of a new ST 596. This ST 18 type strain found in our study is crucial and is believed to be the first in Malaysia.