Vancomycin-resistant enterococci isolates from the rumen content of deer.

The total enumeration of enterococci from the rumen content of deer, their species determination, resistance to antibiotics with the predominant importance of vancomycin resistance, and their metabolic properties, were examined. Enterococci (2.0 x 10(2) CFU per ml) encountered from the rumen of deer were phenotypically allotted to the species Enterococcus casseliflavus (26.6%), E. gallinarum (26.6%) and E. faecium (6.6%). The other isolates were not phenotypically specified. Although the resistance to the other antibiotics was recorded, the emergence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in a high percentage (60%) was revealed. The majority of strains (80%) were multiresistant with the predominant resistance shown by vancomycin. These strains produced lactic acid in the range from 0.258 mol l-1 up to 0.489 mol l-1, and most of the isolates (53.3%) manifested medium urease activity. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci were selected for other studies such as plasmid determination and bacteriocin production, and to assess their value as indicators of faecal contamination.