1,721,074 research outputs found

    VanA gene cluster in a Vancomycin-resistant clinical isolate of Bacillus circulans

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    We report on the cloning and sequencing of the vanA gene cluster present in the glycopeptide-resistant clinical isolate Bacillus circulans VR0709 (R. Fontana, M. Ligozzi, C. Pedrotti, E. M. Padovani, and G. Cornaglia, Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 16:473-474, 1997). The presence of a vanA- related gene in VR0709 was demonstrated in a PCR assay which permitted the specific amplification of an internal segment of vanA. Southern blotting suggested that the vanA gene was located in the chromosome in a 7.6-kb EcoRI fragment. DNA sequence analysis revealed the presence of all seven genes of the vanA cluster (vanR, vanS, vanH, vanA, vanX, vanY, and vanZ). The degree of identity between homologous proteins encoded by Tn1546 and the chromosome of B. circulans VR0709 ranged from 87 to 95%. Neither PCR nor Southern blotting with specific primers and probes, respectively, showed the presence of open reading frames (ORFs) 1 and 2 which encode the transposase and the resolvase of Tn1546, respectively, the transposon found to carry the vanA gene cluster in enterococci. Determination of the sequences of the flanking regions of the van gene cluster of B. circulans revealed perfect inverted repeats of 10 bp which delineated a 9.2-kb region containing the van gene cluster and an ORF which encoded a putative protein (178 residues) which displayed a low level of identity (28%) to the resolvase of Tn1546. These results suggest that glycopeptide resistance in B. circulans VR0709 is associated with the acquisition of a vanA gene cluster which shows a high degree of homology with that of enterococci. In B. circulans, however, the cluster is not carried by Tn1546 and is borne by the chromosome

    Hospital antibiotic management in north-eastern Italy--results of the ABS maturity survey of the ABS International group.

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    The ABS International group conducted a survey to estimate the prevalence and characteristics of country-specific hospital antibiotic management programs. This paper summarizes the results for the north-eastern area of Italy. METHODS: The survey was conducted in January and February 2008. A questionnaire with items related to hospital antibiotic management was sent to the medical administrators of two regions, namely Veneto and Trentino Alto Adige, which are further subdivided into smaller administrative areas. MAIN FINDINGS: Ten out of 82 questionnaires were returned and nine were evaluable. The mean total score for all items in the areas under consideration was 3.69 (median: 3.58; range 2.58-4.50). Top values and high mean scores were achieved for diagnostics and control of antibiotic consumption. Organizational structures such as well defined antibiotic-related roles and communication tools are missing to a large degree. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this questionnaire-based survey underline the considerable potential for further improvement of antibiotic stewardship in north-eastern Italy

    VanA gene cluster in a Vancomycin-resistant clinical isolate of Bacillus circulans

    No full text
    We report on the cloning and sequencing of the vanA gene cluster present in the glycopeptide-resistant clinical isolate Bacillus circulans VR0709 (R. Fontana, M. Ligozzi, C. Pedrotti, E. M. Padovani, and G. Cornaglia, Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 16:473-474, 1997). The presence of a vanA- related gene in VR0709 was demonstrated in a PCR assay which permitted the specific amplification of an internal segment of vanA. Southern blotting suggested that the vanA gene was located in the chromosome in a 7.6-kb EcoRI fragment. DNA sequence analysis revealed the presence of all seven genes of the vanA cluster (vanR, vanS, vanH, vanA, vanX, vanY, and vanZ). The degree of identity between homologous proteins encoded by Tn1546 and the chromosome of B. circulans VR0709 ranged from 87 to 95%. Neither PCR nor Southern blotting with specific primers and probes, respectively, showed the presence of open reading frames (ORFs) 1 and 2 which encode the transposase and the resolvase of Tn1546, respectively, the transposon found to carry the vanA gene cluster in enterococci. Determination of the sequences of the flanking regions of the van gene cluster of B. circulans revealed perfect inverted repeats of 10 bp which delineated a 9.2-kb region containing the van gene cluster and an ORF which encoded a putative protein (178 residues) which displayed a low level of identity (28%) to the resolvase of Tn1546. These results suggest that glycopeptide resistance in B. circulans VR0709 is associated with the acquisition of a vanA gene cluster which shows a high degree of homology with that of enterococci. In B. circulans, however, the cluster is not carried by Tn1546 and is borne by the chromosome
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