New glycopeptide resistance gene cluster (VanM) found in E. faecium

Originally recovered in 2006 from a Shanghai patient with an intra-abdominal infection, the new Enterococcus faecium was highly resistant to Vancomycin(MIC, >256 µg/ml) and teicoplanin (MIC, 96 µg/ml).  The novel vanM cluster shares a similar DNA sequence to vanA, but is arranged more like vanD. At least the VanM, like VanA, confers glycopeptide resistance by the inducible synthesis of precursor ending in D-Ala-D-Lac. One less thing to learn. So now we have to remember vanA, vanB, vanC, vanD, vanE, vanG, vanL and vanM. The enterococcus sure has been busy making new VREs.

November 2010 AAC article Xu X., et al.

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