Characteristics of Enterococcus strains isolated in 1991-1992.

The paper presents the identification and resistance to antibiotics as well as the high-level resistance of 96 strains of enterococci isolated in 1991-1992 from patients admitted in the "Victor Babes" Hospital of Infectious Diseases. The identification of Enterococcus species using the Facklam-Collins schedule and several additional tests reveal 86.4% E. faecalis, 7.2% E. faecium, 4.1% E. gallinarum and 1.0% E. durans and 1% E. hirae. The high-level resistance to aminoglycosides was 69.8% for Streptomycin, 50%--Kanamycin and 21.8%--Gentamicin. The phenotype of resistance to Streptomycin, Kanamycin and Gentamicin was found in 19.8% of strains. 7.4% of enterococci had MIC values higher or equal to 32 mcg/ml to Penicillin and MIC > or = to 16 mcg/ml to Ampicillin. Six E. faecalis strains and two E. gallinarum strains were resistant to Vancomycin.