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Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, February 2006, p. 596-599, Vol. 50, No. 2
0066-4804/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AAC.50.2.596-599.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

In Vivo Transfer of the vanA Resistance Gene from an Enterococcus faecium Isolate of Animal Origin to an E. faecium Isolate of Human Origin in the Intestines of Human Volunteers

National Center for Antimicrobials and Infection Control, 5 Artillerivej, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark,¹ Clinical Unit for Health Promotion, H:S Bispebjerg Hospital, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark²

Received 4 July 2005/ Returned for modification 8 September 2005/ Accepted 15 November 2005

Transient colonization by vancomycin-resistant enterococci of animal origin has been documented in the intestines of humans. However, little is known about whether transfer of the vanA gene occurs in the human intestine. Six volunteers ingested a vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolate of chicken origin, together with a vancomycin-susceptible E. faecium recipient of human origin. Transconjugants were recovered in three of six volunteers. In one volunteer, not only was vancomycin resistance transferred, but also quinupristin-dalfopristin resistance. This study shows that transfer of the vanA gene from an E. faecium isolate of animal origin to an E. faecium isolate of human origin can occur in the intestines of humans. It suggests that transient intestinal colonization by enterococci carrying mobile elements with resistance genes represents a risk for spread of resistance genes to other enterococci that are part of the human indigenous flora, which can be responsible for infections in certain groups of patients, e.g., immunocompromised patients.

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