Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) poses a significant and growing threat to healthcare systems worldwide, particularly in Europe, where its prevalence has risen in recent years. In Switzerland, while historically low, VREfm cases have been increasing, raising concerns about its potential spread and the need for effective control measures. This study aimed to provide a national genomic snapshot of VREfm in Switzerland, identifying major circulating clones and exploring evidence of clonal dissemination to better understand its epidemiology and inform infection prevention strategies.
Key findings:
- ST80 and ST612 were the dominant clones, both belonging to hospital-associated Clade A1.
- ST612 showed widespread dissemination across seven cantons, suggesting inter-institutional transmission.
- All ST612 isolates carried liaR and liaS mutations linked to reduced daptomycin susceptibility.
For more information, see the published paper.
