M. Roger et al., Evaluation of a vanA-specific PCR assay for detection of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium during a hospital outbreak, J CLIN MICR, 37(10), 1999, pp. 3348-3349
We investigated the use of PCR as an alternative to culture of fecal sample
s for detection of vanA-containing Enterococcus faecium during a recent hos
pital outbreak. Rectal swabs collected consecutively from 223 patients were
analyzed by culture with and without enrichment broth and by vanA-specific
PCR of enrichment broth samples. Fifty-five specimens were positive for va
nA-containing E. faecium by at least one method. The sensitivities of the v
anA-specific PCR assay and agar culture with and without enrichment broth w
ere 94.5, 98, and 89%, respectively. All three methods were 100% specific.
Final results were obtained much more rapidly by PCR (within 24 to 30 h of
specimen submission) than by the culture methods (4 to 5 days). Thus, PCR i
s an accurate and rapid alternative to culture for detection of vancomycin-
resistant enterococci during hospital outbreaks.