In this Article

Overview of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)
• Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) risks
• Transmission of of vancomycin-resistant enterococci
• Diagnosis of of vancomycin-resistant enterococci
• Treatment of of vancomycin-resistant enterococci
• Prevention of of vancomycin-resistant enterococci
• Research on of vancomycin-resistant enterococci
• Frequently asked questions about vancomycin-resistant enterococci
• How can I prevent the spread of VRE?
• What should I do if I think I have VRE?
• If a patient in a facility is colonized or infected with VRE, what do their visitors or family members need to know?
• What precautions should caregivers take when tending to infected persons in their homes?
• Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) Glossary
• Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) Index

Treatment of of vancomycin-resistant enterococci

Most VRE infections can be treated with antibiotics other than vancomycin. Some of the antibiotics that fail to work because of intrinsic resistance include some types of penicillin, cephalosporins, clindamycin, and aminoglycosides. Treatments that are ineffective because of acquired resistance include vancomycin, some penicillins, macrolides (such as erythromycin), tetracycline, quinolones, and others.

The course of treatment is determined by testing different antibiotics in the laboratory to determine which ones might be most effective against the infectious strain. If you develop a VRE infection and have a urinary catheter, sometimes removing the catheter will clear the infection.

If you are colonized with VRE - the bacteria are present but have not caused an infection - you usually will not require treatment.

Prevention of of vancomycin-resistant enterococci

Proper hand hygiene - thorough washing with soap and then drying - is the best way to prevent the spread of enterococci.

The CDC Hospital Infection Control Program encourages hospitals to develop their own institution-specific plans, which should stress:

• Prudent vancomycin use by clinicians
  
  
• Hospital staff education regarding vancomycin resistance
  
  
• Early detection and prompt reporting of vancomycin resistance in enterococci and other gram-positive microorganisms by the hospital microbiology laboratory
  
  
• Immediate implementation of appropriate infection control measures to prevent person-to-person VRE transmission