Identification of a novel genomic island specific to hospital-acquired clonal complex 17 Enterococcus faecium isolates

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2008 Nov;74(22):7094-7. doi: 10.1128/AEM.01378-08. Epub 2008 Oct 3.

Abstract

Hospital-acquired clonal complex 17 (CC17) Enterococcus faecium strains are genetically distinct from indigenous strains and are enriched with resistance genes and virulence genes. We identified a genomic island in CC17 E. faecium tentatively encoding a metabolic pathway involved in carbohydrate transport and metabolism, which may provide a competitive advantage over the indigenous E. faecium microbiota.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carbohydrate Metabolism / genetics
  • Cross Infection / microbiology*
  • Enterococcus faecium / genetics*
  • Enterococcus faecium / isolation & purification*
  • Gene Order
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Genomic Islands*
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / microbiology*