title: Epidemiology and control of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in a renal unit.
abstract: This study reports an outbreak of infection and colonization caused by vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in the renal service of a large teaching hospital. The polymerase chain reaction and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis were used to study the epidemiology of 26/34 strains of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium from the outbreak in comparison with five strains from other hospitals in Edinburgh and the Borders, and three from other wards in the Royal Infirmary. The study revealed a heterogeneous population of vancomycin-resistant E. faecalis. Over 60% of E. faecium isolates had matching pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns and all of these were of VanA phenotype. These results suggest that clonal spread of VanA phenotype E. faecium within and possibly between hospitals is the major vancomycin-resistant enterococcal problem in Edinburgh. Screening of patients and isolation of colonized and infected patients appear to have been successful in controlling the spread of VRE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Edinburgh University Medical School.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Amyes
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paton
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Plant
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Winney
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Miles
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005838:Genotype; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006436:Hemodialysis Units, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D014640:Vancomycin