TY - JOUR
T1 - A New Tool for Analyses of Whole Genome Sequences Reveals Dissemination of Specific Strains of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium in a Hospital
AU - Marbjerg, Lis
AU - Stougaard, Caroline Louise
AU - Sørensen, Sophie-Amalie Grønhøj
AU - Thomsen, Amalie Vørs
AU - Wang, Lis
AU - Andersen, Lise
AU - Andersen, Thomas Emil
AU - Kallipolitis, Birgitte
AU - Kemp, Michael
N1 - Copyright © 2021 Marbjerg, Stougaard, Sørensen, Thomsen, Wang, Andersen, Andersen, Kallipolitis and Kemp.
PY - 2021/10/27
Y1 - 2021/10/27
N2 - A new easy-to-use online bioinformatic tool analyzing whole genome sequences of healthcare associated bacteria was used by a local infection control unit to retrospectively map genetic relationship of isolates of E. faecium carrying resistance genes to vancomycin in a hospital. Three clusters of isolates were detected over a period of 5 years, suggesting transmission between patients. Individual relatedness between isolates within each cluster was established by SNP analyses provided by the system. Genetic antimicrobial resistance mechanisms to antibiotics other than vancomycin were identified. The results suggest that the system is suited for hospital surveillance of E. faecium carrying resistance genes to vancomycin in settings with access to next Generation Sequencing without bioinformatic expertise for interpretation of the genome sequences.
AB - A new easy-to-use online bioinformatic tool analyzing whole genome sequences of healthcare associated bacteria was used by a local infection control unit to retrospectively map genetic relationship of isolates of E. faecium carrying resistance genes to vancomycin in a hospital. Three clusters of isolates were detected over a period of 5 years, suggesting transmission between patients. Individual relatedness between isolates within each cluster was established by SNP analyses provided by the system. Genetic antimicrobial resistance mechanisms to antibiotics other than vancomycin were identified. The results suggest that the system is suited for hospital surveillance of E. faecium carrying resistance genes to vancomycin in settings with access to next Generation Sequencing without bioinformatic expertise for interpretation of the genome sequences.
KW - vancomycin resistant enterococci
KW - whole genome sequencing
KW - bioinformatics
KW - genomic epidemiology
KW - infection control
KW - surveillance
U2 - 10.3389/fmed.2021.733676
DO - 10.3389/fmed.2021.733676
M3 - Article
C2 - 34778297
SN - 2296-858X
VL - 8
JO - Frontiers in Medicine
JF - Frontiers in Medicine
M1 - 733676
ER -