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Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, May 2003, p. 1560-1564, Vol. 47, No. 5
0066-4804/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AAC.47.5.1560-1564.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Impact of Elements Containing Glycopeptide Resistance Genes on Expression of Virulence in Enterococcus faecalis Peritonitis: a Pilot Study with Rats

G. Plantefeve,1 H. Dupont,1* V. Hubert,1 L. Garry,1 C. Poüs,2 C. Carbon,1 and P. Montravers1

Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, EMI 9933,1 Service de Biochimie A, Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Paris, France2

Received 11 June 2002/ Returned for modification 19 August 2002/ Accepted 31 January 2003

The relationship between virulence and chromosomal elements containing glycopeptide resistance genes was experimentally assessed for two transconjugant strains of Enterococcus faecalis (VanA and VanB phenotypes) and compared to that for a susceptible wild-type strain. Microbiologic and inflammatory effects were assessed in a polymicrobial rat model of peritonitis. Mean peritoneal enterococcus concentrations ± standard deviations at day 1 were 2.1 ± 1.9, 1.3 ± 1.1, and 1.7 ± 2.0 log10 CFU/ml for susceptible, VanA, and VanB strains, respectively (P < 0.05). At day 3 also there were lower concentrations of glycopeptide-resistant enterococcal strains in peritoneal fluid (3.2 ± 3.4, 1.8 ± 1.8, and 2.1 ± 2.4 log10 CFU/ml for susceptible, VanA, and VanB strains, respectively [P < 0.05]). Transconjugant glycopeptide-resistant strains were associated with increased peritoneal cell counts at the different evaluation times of the experiment (P < 0.001). Plasma {alpha}1-acid glycoprotein concentrations were lower in the presence of the susceptible strain (667 ± 189 mg/liter) than in the presence of the VanA or VanB strain (1,193 ± 419 or 1,210 ± 404 mg/liter, respectively [P < 0.05]), while concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-6 in peritoneal fluid remained similar for the strains. These results suggest a trend toward variation of virulence of transconjugant strains compared to the wild-type strain in this peritonitis model.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Département d'Anesthésie Réanimation Chirurgicale, Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75877 Paris Cedex 18, France. Phone: (33) (1) 40-25-81-18. Fax: (33) (1) 40-25-88-69. E-mail: herve.dupont{at}bch.ap-hop-paris.fr.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, May 2003, p. 1560-1564, Vol. 47, No. 5
0066-4804/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AAC.47.5.1560-1564.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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