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Journal of Clinical Microbiology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Microbiology
. 1994 Aug;32(8):2016–2018. doi: 10.1128/jcm.32.8.2016-2018.1994

Differential susceptibilities of enterococcal species to elfamycin antibiotics.

A Miele 1, B P Goldstein 1, M Bandera 1, C Jarvis 1, A Resconi 1, R J Williams 1
PMCID: PMC263923  PMID: 7989561

Abstract

The elfamycins are a class of naturally occurring antibiotics not currently used in the therapy of human disease. Enterococcus faecium and closely related species (Enterococcus durans and Enterococcus hirae) are susceptible to these antibiotics, while isolates of Enterococcus faecalis and other enterococcal species are highly resistant. Among enterococci, susceptibility or resistance to elfamycins appears to be determined by the bacterial protein synthesis elongation factor EF-Tu. Elfamycin susceptibility may be a useful adjunct for rapidly distinguishing E. faecalis and E. faecium in the clinical microbiology laboratory and/or as a supplementary test for use in determining the species of enterococci.

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Selected References

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