RAPID DETECTION OF VANCOMYCIN-RESISTANT ENTEROCOCCI

Campylobacter blood agar with clindamycin incubated in 6% CO2 served a s a medium to both screen for vancomycin resistance and select for pre sumptive enterococci. Colonies that grew on the medium were specifical ly identified as enterococci within 30 min by the pyroglutamyl-beta-na phthylamide and rapid bile esculin tests. The combination of a selecti ve medium plus rapid enzyme substrate tests offered an inexpensive mea ns to enumerate vancomycin-resistant enterococci from specimens by usi ng readily available reagents.