Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2013 , Vol 59 , Num 3

The First Case of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus Faecium Infection in a Rehabilitation Unit

Nurittin Ardıç 1 ,Abdullah Kılıç 2 ,Nalan Yağmur Çivici 3
1 Gülhane Askeri Tıp Akademisi, Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri Rehabilitasyon ve Bakım Merkezi, Mikrobiyoloji Laboratuvarı, Ankara, Türkiye
2 Gülhane Askeri Tıp Akademisi,, Tıbbi Mikrobiyoloji Anabilim Dalı, Ankara, Türkiye
3 Malatya Asker Hastanesi, Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği, Malatya, Türkiye
DOI : 10.4274/tftr.98853

Herein we report a case of urinary system infection and rectal colonization due to vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in a patient with spinal cord injury. This is the first reported case of infection caused by this pathogen in this rehabilitation center. Two isolates were conferred high level vancomycin and teicoplanin resistance (MIC>256 mg/L) and were found to be susceptible to linezolid (MIC<1 mg/L) and quinupristin-dalfopristin (MIC=1 mg/L). The isolates were found to be positive for the presence of the vanA genotype; vanB and vanC2 gene products could not be amplified by using polymerase chain reaction. Genetic relationship among isolates was performed by using pulse field gel electrophoresis. 

Keywords : Spinal kord injury, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, linezolid