Vancomycin-resistant E. Faecium Research Articles

Emergence and prevention of cross-transmission of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VRE) in a level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patient population

Emergence and prevention of cross-transmission of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VRE) in a level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patient population

Isolation and epidemiological study of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium from patients of a haematological unit in Poland

Enterococcus faecium has recently emerged as a serious nosocomial pathogen. Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) have been isolated in Europe and the USA since 1988. This is the first report on isolation of vancomycin resistant E. faecium (VREM) strains in Poland, from Haematological Unit patients in the Clinical Hospital in Gdańsk. In total, 6412 samples were examined between December 1996 and October 1997. Five hundred and five isolates of Enterococcus spp. were collected. One hundred and one were classified as Enterococcus faecium of which 49 were resistant to vancomycin (MIC>256 mg/L) and teicoplanin (MIC>256 mg/L), characteristic of the VanA phenotype. Twenty-nine patients were infected or colonized. A PCR-based specific diagnostic assay confirmed the phenotype. The multiplex PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns were consistent with VanA-type of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium for all isolates examined. These isolates were epidemiologically-related as shown by PCR-fingerprinting.

Enterococcus faecium bacteremia: does vancomycin resistance make a difference?

Enterococcus faecium has received increased attention, primarily due to the emergence of vancomycin resistance. The purpose of this investigation was to study the epidemiological characteristics of vancomycin-resistant E faecium (VRE) bacteremia and to determine the clinical impact of vancomycin resistance on the outcome of patients with this infection. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features and outcome of 53 patients with E faecium bacteremia. From January 1992 until December 1995, there were 32 episodes of bacteremia caused by vancomycin-susceptible E faecium (VSE) and 21 caused by VRE. An intra-abdominal site was the most common source of bacteremia in both groups. All of the VRE and 78% of VSE bacteremia cases were nosocomially acquired. Previous administration of vancomycin was associated with VRE bacteremia (P<.001), as were indwelling bladder catheters (P=.01). Fifty-nine percent of the patients with VSE bacteremia survived vs 24% with VRE (P=.009), despite similar severity-of-illness scores. In 62% of the patients with VRE sepsis, death was related to the bacteremia (P=.01). Patients infected with VRE had longer hospitalizations than those with VSE (34.8 vs 16.7 days, respectively) (P=.004), were more likely to be on the medical service (P=.03), and on the average, had hospitalization costs of more than $27,000 per episode than did patients with VSE bloodstream infection ($83,897 vs $56,707, respectively) (P=.04). Vancomycin-resistant E faecium bacteremia is a complication of prolonged hospitalization in debilitated patients. Vancomycin resistance has a negative impact on survival in patients with E faecium bacteremia and leads to higher health care costs.