Investigation of the introduction and dissemination of vanB Enterococcus faecium in the Capital Region of Denmark and development of a rapid and accurate clone-specific vanB E. faecium PCR

• Published in: Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy Vol. 76; no. 9; pp. 2260 - 2267
• Main Authors: Pinholt, Mette, Mollerup, Sarah, Boye, Kit, Worning, Peder, Holzknecht, Barbara Juliane, Nygaard, Sanne, Nielsen, Karen Leth, Hasman, Henrik, Roer, Louise, Hammerum, Anette M., Westh, Henrik, Schønning, Kristian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 01.09.2021
• ISSN: 0305-7453; 1460-2091
• DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkab198

Abstract Background During 2018–19, an increase of vanB vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) was observed in the Capital Region of Denmark. vanA/vanB PCR performed directly on rectal swabs is accurate in detection of vanA; however, the positive predictive value for vanB-positive samples is low because of the presence of vanB in non-enterococcal gut commensals. Objectives We investigated the epidemiology and clonal relatedness of vanB VREfm from the period 2015–19 and describe the application of a clone-specific vanB VREfm PCR assay for rapid and accurate detection of vanB VREfm in rectal screening samples. Methods vanB VREfm were investigated using epidemiological data and WGS data. The SeqSphere+ software was used to analyse MLST and cgMLST, and de novo assemblies were annotated to determine insertion sites for the vanB transposon (Tn1549). A clone-specific vanB VREfm PCR assay was designed to detect the sequence bridging Tn1549 and the E. faecium chromosome (araA2) in the dominant cluster. Results Two hundred and seventy-five vanB VREfm isolates were identified, of which 76% were identified in 2019. A dominant cluster (Cluster 1, n = 204, 74%), six minor clusters and 15 singletons were identified. All Cluster 1 isolates and six non-Cluster 1 isolates had Tn1549 integrated into araA2. In 2019, the PCR assay would have detected 92% of all rectal screening samples containing vanB VREfm. Conclusions vanB VREfm increased due to the introduction and nosocomial transmission of the successful Cluster 1. The clone-specific PCR assay detected vanB VREfm outbreak isolates in rectal screening samples rapidly and accurately.