Laboratory Contamination of Specimens with Quality Control Strains of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci in Ontario

摘要

Cross-contamination with laboratory control strains of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis was documented in 15 clinical specimens from nine clinical microbiology laboratories in Ontario, Canada. Laboratories should be alert to the possibility of contamination of specimens with vancomycin-resistant enterococci from the laboratory environment. Molecular typing of strains may assist in elucidating the source of such contamination.