Recent studies have shown that new antimicrobial agents such as linezolid and quinupristin/dalfopristin constitute a
potential treatment against multiresistant Gram-positive bacteria (Karlowsky et al., 1999; Nadler et al., 1999; Ry-back et al., 2000).
Nevertheless, glycopeptide antibiotic are
frequently used against enterococcal infections, and resistance
against them is seriously increasing. Therefore, the
availability of fast and sensitive laboratory methods for the
immediate detection of glycopeptide resistant enterococci is
absolutely necessary. The PCR method described in the
present study is sensitive, fast and feasible. Considering that
it represents a rapid and simple method, it could be applied
in clinical microbiology laboratories for simultaneous identification
of enterococcal isolates at the genus level and
detection of the type of vancomycin resistance genes harbored
by those isolates.