Patent ID: 6355449
Filing Date: 2002-03-12
Classification: C12N,C12Q,Y10S

Abstract:
A medium for detecting vancomycin-resistant Enterococci in a sample form a rectal swab, peri-rectal swab, or stool sample comprising:vancomycin in an amount sufficient to suppress the growth of vancomycin sensitive Enterococci; a first nutrient indicator which is a substrate for a first bacterial enzyme and provides a first detectable signal when cleaved by the first bacterial enzyme wherein the first nutrient indicator is a substrate forâ€”&bgr;-glucosidase; a second nutrient indicator which is a substrate for a second bacterial enzyme and provides an intermediate molecule when cleaved by the second bacterial enzyme, and the intermediate molecule provides the second detectable signal upon reacting with a developing agent, wherein the second detectable signal is distinct from the first detectable signal wherein the second nutrient indicator is a substrate for pyrrolidonyl arylamidase; an effective amount of one or more selective agents active to prevent or inhibit the growth of microorganisms other than Enterococci when a sample from a rectal swab, peri-rectal swab, or stool sample is introduced into the medium wherein the one or more selective agents are selected form the group consisting of: amikacin sulfate, polymyxin B, bacitracin, clindamycin, cefotaxime, amphotericin B, sodium azide, thallium acetate, nalixidic acid, enoxacin, cinoxacin, ofloxacin, norfloxacin, cefotaxime, gentamycin, neomycin, polymyxin B, colistin, and bile salts.