Detection of virulence genes in resistant enterococci isolated from pediatric patients at high risk for nosocomial infections

Abstract Background The study of virulence genes carried by enterococci has become of greater relevance as nosocomial enterococcal infections have become more prevalent and possibly more severe. Methods Surveillance swabs were performed on children less than 18 months of age in an intensive care unit in Iran in 2012–2013. Multiplex PCR and sequencing methods were used to detect gelE , esp and asa1 genes in enterococci with intermediate or full resistance to vancomycin. Results The rate of carriage of the genes was gelE (91%), esp (79%) and asa1 (87%). Conclusion The majority of enterococcal strains with resistance to vancomycin carry genes for all three potential virulence factors that were analyzed in this study. This might explain why enterococcal infections appear to be more virulent than in the past.