clonality analysis of Enterococcus sp. clinical isolates in Algeria

What is it about?

Despite studies that have reported a significant increase in infections involving unusual species of enterococci such as E. gallinarum, Enterococcus durans and E. casseliflavus, these species generally remain underestimated because of their misidentification. The 16S rRNA sequences of E. gallinarum and E. casseliflavus were almost identical (99.9% sequence identity), which makes their discrimination using 16S rRNA identification difficult. In this study, the MALDI-TOF/MS has proven to be a reliable tool for discriminating between highly homologous genetically-related Enterococcus spp.In the current study, both inpatients and outpatients from three hospitals in three cities of north-eastern Algeria were combined in order to investigate phylogenetic relatedness. We found more STs, a substantial number of which were novel STs. The phylogenetic relationship of E. faecalis MLST data on the basis of eBURST software revealed multiclonal clusterization, which may be explained by the dissemination of multiple E. faecalis clones from different origins

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Why is it important?

In the present study, we identified E. faecalis ST-6 and E. faecium ST-17, 18 and 78, which are the representative founders of the clonal complex CC2 and CC17, respectively, associated with hospital-related isolates. Otherwise, both inpatients and outpatients from three hospitals in three cities of north-eastern Algeria were combined in order to investigate phylogenetic relatedness. We found more STs, a substantial number of which were novel STs. The phylogenetic relationship of E. faecalis MLST data on the basis of eBURST software revealed multiclonal clusterization, which may be explained by the dissemination of multiple E. faecalis clones from different origins. None of the E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates showed resistance to vancomycin. In Europe, it has been demonstrated that the emergence of VRE was due to the use of avoparcin, a glycopeptide antibiotic used in animal feed as a growth promoter, which leads to the selection of VRE in animals that are thereafter transmitted to humans through the food chain [2,5,8]. Resistance to vancomycin decreased in Europe after avoparcin use in animals was banned in 1996. Since avoparcin is not used in Algeria, this may contribute to or explain the absence of acquired vancomycin resistance in this study.

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