Regional dissemination of vancomycin-resistant enterococci resulting from interfacility transfer of colonized patients.
During early 1997, the Siouxland District Health Department (SDHD; Sioux City, IA) reported an increased incidence of vancomycin-resistant enterococcal (VRE) isolates at area health care facilities. To determine the prevalence and risk factors for colonization with VRE strains at 32 health care facilities in the SDHD region, a prevalence survey and case-control study were performed. Of 2266 patients and residents, 1934 (85%) participated, and 40 (2.1%) were positive for (gastrointestinal) VRE colonization. The prevalence of VRE isolates was significantly higher in acute care facilities (ACFs) than in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) (10/152 [6.6%] vs. 30/1782 [1.7%]; odds ratio [OR], 4.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-9.0). LTCF case patients were significantly more likely than controls to have been inpatients at any ACF (19/30 vs. 12/66; OR, 8.0; 95% CI, 2.7-23.8). Of 40 VRE isolates, 34 (85%) were a related strain. The predominant strain was present in all 12 LTCFs that had at least 1 case patient in each facility. Soon after the introduction of VRE isolates into this region, dissemination to multiple LTCFs resulted from resident transfer from ACFs to LTCFs.
Hospital Infections Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. wbt9@cdc.gov
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003428:Cross Infection; D004064:Digestive System / Q000382:microbiology; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010360:Patient Transfer; D015995:Prevalence; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014640:Vancomycin