Environmental contamination with vancomycin-resistant enterococci from hospital sewage in Portugal

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005 Jun;71(6):3364-8. doi: 10.1128/AEM.71.6.3364-3368.2005.

Abstract

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) were detected in samples of sewage obtained downstream of hospitals of the Porto area in Portugal, and in samples from the Douro Estuary. Clonal analysis, Tn1546 typing, and presence of putative virulence traits indicate the clinical origin of these isolates. This observation highlights the importance of hospital sewage in the VRE contamination of the environment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Enterococcus / classification
  • Enterococcus / drug effects
  • Enterococcus / genetics
  • Enterococcus / isolation & purification*
  • Hospitals*
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Portugal
  • Rivers / microbiology*
  • Sewage / microbiology*
  • Vancomycin / pharmacology
  • Vancomycin Resistance*
  • Virulence / genetics

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Sewage
  • Vancomycin