Detection of virulence factors in high-level gentamicin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolates from a Tunisian hospital

  1. Klibi, N. 4
  2. Ben Slama, K. 4
  3. Sàenz, Y. 1
  4. Masmoudi, A. 3
  5. Zanetti, S. 2
  6. Sechi, L.A. 2
  7. Boudabous, A. 4
  8. Torres, C. 1
  1. 1 Universidad de La Rioja
    info

    Universidad de La Rioja

    Logroño, España

    ROR https://ror.org/0553yr311

  2. 2 University of Sassari
    info

    University of Sassari

    Sassari, Italia

    ROR https://ror.org/01bnjbv91

  3. 3 Hôpital La Rabta
    info

    Hôpital La Rabta

    Túnez, Túnez

    ROR https://ror.org/00gffbx54

  4. 4 Université de Tunis El Manar
    info

    Université de Tunis El Manar

    Túnez, Túnez

    ROR https://ror.org/029cgt552

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Revista:
Canadian Journal of Microbiology

ISSN: 0008-4166

Año de publicación: 2007

Volumen: 53

Número: 3

Páginas: 372-379

Tipo: Artículo

DOI: 10.1139/W06-136 PMID: 17538646 SCOPUS: 2-s2.0-34547224055 WoS: WOS:000247426500005 GOOGLE SCHOLAR

Otras publicaciones en: Canadian Journal of Microbiology

Resumen

Phenotypic and genotypic determination of virulence factors were carried out in 46 high-level gentamicin-resistant (HLGR) clinical Enterococcus faecalis (n = 34) and Enterococcus faecium (n = 12) isolates recovered from different patients in La Rabta Hospital in Tunis, Tunisia, between 2000 and 2003 (all these isolates harboured the aac(6′)-aph(2″) gene). The genes encoding virulence factors (agg, gelE, ace, cylLLS, esp, cpd, and fsrB) were analysed by PCR and sequencing. The production of gelatinase and hemolysin, the adherence to caco-2 and hep-2 cells, and the capacity for biofilm formation were investigated in all 46 HLGR enterococci. The percentages of E. faecalis isolates harbouring virulence genes were as follows: gelE, cpd, and ace (100%); fsrB (62%); agg (56%); cylLLS (41.2%); and esp (26.5%). The only virulence gene detected among the 12 HLGR E. faecium isolates was esp (58%). Gelatinase activity was detected in 22 of the 34 E. faecalis isolates (65%, most of them with the gelE+-fsrB+ genotype); the remaining 12 isolates were gelatinase-negative (with the gelE +-fsrR- genotype and the deletion of a 23.9 kb fragment of the fsr locus). Overall, 64% of the cylLLS-containing E. faecalis isolates showed β-hemolysis. A high proportion of our HLGR E. faecalis isolates, in contrast to E. faecium, showed moderate or strong biofilm formation or adherence to caco-2 and hep-2 cells. © 2007 NRC.