Variation within the vat(E) Allele of Enterococcus faecium Isolates from Retail Poultry Samples

In a survey of retail meat samples, twelve quinupristin-dalfopristin-resistant (MICs, ≥4 mg/liter) Enterococcus faecium isolates that carried a vat(E) gene were recovered. DNA sequence comparison revealed five new variations in the vat(E) allele among 12 isolates, which were designated vat(E-4) through vat(E-8); two isolates had vat(E-1). There was no correlation between the number of base changes and the quinupristin-dalfopristin MIC.