Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) in Healthcare Settings

Enterococci are described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as bacteria that are normally present in the human intestines and in the female genital tract. They are also often found in the environment, in soil and water.

These bacteria can cause infections and CDC warns that enterococci are constantly finding new ways to avoid the effects of the antibiotics used to treat those infections. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci, commonly referred to as VRE, is the name for the bacteria resistant to the antibiotic known as vancomycin.

In the CDC’s 2019 Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States report, VRE was listed as a serious threat. In it, the agency reported that as recently as 2017, VRE caused an estimated 54,500 infections among hospitalized patients and 5,400 estimated deaths in the United States alone.

Patients at high risk for VRE infections listed by CDC include those who are undergoing complex or prolonged healthcare (such as patients in long-term acute care hospitals or ICUs) or patients with weakened immune systems (such as patients undergoing cancer treatment or with organ transplants).

CDC cautions that VRE can spread from one person to another through contact with contaminated surfaces or equipment, or through person to person spread, often via contaminated hands. In addition to hand hygiene, healthcare providers should pay careful attention to recommended infection control practices, including rigorous environmental cleaning to reduce the risk of spreading these germs.

These are just a few of the many things to know about VRE in healthcare environments. To learn more about this or other infection control, environmental, health or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.

Clark Seif Clark https://www.csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. https://www.emsl.com
LA Testing https://www.latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental https://www.zimmetry.com
CTSI https://www.ctsiweb.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine https://www.healthyindoors.com