Proficiency in Detecting Vancomycin Resistance in Enterococci among Clinical Laboratories in Santiago, Chile
Author Information
Author(s): Jaime A. Labarca, L. Clifford McDonald, Maria Eugenia Pinto, Elizabeth Palavecino, Patricia Gonzalez, Erna Cona, Alejandra Fernandez, Maria Soledad Giglio, William R. Jarvis
Primary Institution: P. Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
Hypothesis
Can clinical laboratories in Chile effectively detect vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)?
Conclusion
Most laboratories in Chile struggle to detect low-level vancomycin resistance in enterococci, highlighting the need for improved testing methods.
Supporting Evidence
- Four out of six laboratories used the disk-diffusion method for testing.
- Participants correctly evaluated vancomycin susceptibility in 17 out of 30 isolates.
- Susceptibility to penicillin and ampicillin was correctly identified in 96.4% of isolates.
Takeaway
This study looked at how well labs in Chile can find a type of bacteria that doesn't respond to a common antibiotic. They found that many labs missed some cases.
Methodology
The study evaluated the ability of six referral microbiology laboratories to detect vancomycin resistance in five Enterococcus spp. isolates using different susceptibility testing methods.
Limitations
The study was limited to a small number of laboratories and isolates, which may not represent the entire country.
Participant Demographics
Laboratories from Santiago, Chile.
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