HiMedia – M1830andM1925 HiCrome™ VRE Agar Base / Modified

Principle and Interpretation
Enterococci are the common habitants of the normal flora residing in the intestines of mammals (1). Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci are the group of Enterococci that have developed resistance towards many antibiotics particularly vancomycin. Enterococcal infections that result in human disease can be fatal, particularly those caused by strains of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) (2). Early detection of VRE is important to prevent the emergence of vancomycin resistance in Enterococcus faecalis. VRE can be transmitted from person to person, especially in a hospital or chronic-care facility. Microscopic amounts of fecal material from an infected or colonized patient can contaminate the hospital environment and be a reason for the spread of infection. There are many traditional media for the detection of VRE which includes Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci Broth Base/ Agar or Bile Esculin Agar supplemented with vancomycin. Peptone special in the medium supplies nitrogenous and carbonaceous compounds, long chain amino acids, vitamins and other necessary nutrients required for the growth of microorganisms. Sodium chloride maintains the osmotic balance. Buffering agents provides buffering to the medium. Enterococcus faecalis cleaves the chromogenic substrate in the medium to produce blue coloured colonies, which are clearly visible against the opaque background. The supplement added to the medium allows the selective isolation of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci. This medium can be inoculated directly from screening swab, isolated colony prepared as a liquid suspension approximately equivalent to 0.5 McFarland turbidity. Enterococcus faecium ferments arabinose and cleaves the substrate thereby roducing green colonies with yellow background. Enterococcus faecalis does not ferment arabinose thereby producing blue colonies due to cleavage of chromogenic substrate. The supplement added to the medium allows the selective isolation of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci. This medium can be inoculated directly from screening swab, isolated colony prepared as a liquid suspension approximately equivalent to 0.5 McFarland turbidity.

原理與解釋
腸球菌是居住在哺乳動物腸道中的正常菌群的常見習性（1）。耐萬古黴素腸球菌是對多種抗生素尤其是萬古黴素產生耐藥性的腸球菌群。導致人類疾病的腸球菌感染可能是致命的，特別是那些由耐萬古黴素腸球菌（VRE）引起的感染（2）。早期發現VRE對於預防萬古黴素耐藥性的發生具有重要意義 糞腸球菌。 VRE可以在人與人之間傳播，特別是在醫院或慢性病護理機構。來自感染或定植的患者的微量糞便物質會污染醫院環境並成為感染傳播的原因。有許多用於檢測VRE的傳統培養基，其包括補充有萬古黴素的耐萬古黴素腸球菌培養基/瓊脂或膽汁七葉苷瓊脂。 蛋白腖特別在培養基中提供含氮和含碳化合物，長鏈氨基酸，維生素和微生物生長所需的其他必需營養素。氯化鈉保持滲透平衡。緩沖劑為介質提供緩衝。糞腸球菌（Enterococcus faecalis）在培養基中切割髮色底物以產生藍色菌落，其在不透明背景下清晰可見。添加到培養基中的補充劑允許選擇性分離耐萬古黴素腸球菌。該培養基可直接從篩選拭子接種，分離的菌落製備成液體懸浮液，大約相當於0.5McFarland濁度。 屎腸球菌發酵阿拉伯糖並由此切割基質  產生綠色殖民地與黃色背景。糞腸球菌不會發酵阿拉伯糖，從而由於髮色底物的裂解而產生藍色菌落。添加到培養基中的補充劑允許選擇性分離耐萬古黴素腸球菌。該培養基可直接從篩選拭子接種，分離的菌落製備成液體懸浮液，大約相當於0.5McFarland濁度。