[Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. strains].

The aim of our study was to evaluate a frequency of isolation and susceptibility to antibiotics of vancomycin-resistant enterococci isolated between 2005 and the first half of the 2009 from patients of University Hospital of Dr. A. Jurasz Collegium Medicum of L. Rydygier in Bydgoszcz Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruli. Study shows increasing frequency of VRE isolation from two in 2005, 8 in 2006, 30 in 2007 to 79 in 2008 and 40 in the first half of 2009 year. Among all isolated VRE strains E. faecium definitely predominated (75.0-90.0% in 2006-2009). The majority of strains were obtained from patients of the Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology Clinic (43,4%) and Pediatric Surgery Clinic (41.5%). VRE strains were mainly isolated from digestive tract (79,9%). The isolates demonstrated frequently resistance to penicillin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, rifampicin and chloramphenicol. Percentage of VRE strain resistant to aminoglycosides decreased during the last four years of study. Over 56% of VRE isolates showed resistance to teicoplanin. Linezolid and quinupristin-dalfopristin were the only drugs presenting activity against isolated VRE strains.