Journal article
Emergence of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium at an Australian Hospital: A Whole Genome Sequencing Analysis
KWC Leong, LA Cooley, TL Anderson, SS Gautam, B McEwan, A Wells, F Wilson, L Hughson, RF O'Toole
Scientific Reports | NATURE PORTFOLIO | Published : 2018
Open access
Abstract
In 2015, a marked increase in vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) isolation was detected at the Royal Hobart Hospital, Australia. The primary objective of this work was to examine the dynamics of VREfm transmission using whole genome data mapped to public health surveillance information. Screening and clinical isolates of VREfm from patients were typed for the specific vancomycin-resistance locus present. Of total isolates collected from 2014-2016 (n = 222), 15.3% and 84.7% harboured either the vanA or the vanB vancomycin-resistance locus, respectively. Whole-genome sequencing of 80 isolates was performed in conjunction with single-nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) analysis and in s..
View full abstractGrants
Awarded by Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation
Funding Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Ms Rachel Thompson, Ms Megan Brough, and Ms Carol-Anne Eaton at the Royal Hobart Hospital in the provision of infection control data. RFOT and LAC are recipients of a Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation grant (17-104). Additional funding was provided by the Tasmanian Infection Prevention and Control Unit, Department of Health and Human Services, Tasmania.