Abstract
Introduction
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are important causative agents of healthcare-associated infections. This study investigated the prevalence of VRE isolates of clinical specimens from a tertiary hospital in Southern Thailand and their biofilm formation and associated virulence factors.
Methods
This retrospective study was conducted from February 2011 to March 2021 at a 1,000-bed tertiary care hospital in Songkhla Province in Southern Thailand.
Results
In total, 95 VRE isolates were collected. Urine had the highest VRE prevalence (38%), followed by pus or secretions (23%) and the digestive tract (19%). VRE infections were most common in medical (45%) and surgical wards (19%). VRE strains were equally resistant (85–100%) to the six classes of antibiotics commonly used in a tertiary care hospital. Biofilms were produced by 73% of the multidrug-resistant strains; however, 93% of VRE isolates lacking hyl were highly capable of producing biofilms.
Conclusions
No relationship was observed between virulence genes and biofilm formation. Thus, efforts to establish appropriate treatment and control measures are necessary, as distinctive VRE characteristics are relevant to the treatment of enterococcal infections in hospitals.