title: Undetected vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus in surgical intensive care unit patients.
abstract: The rates of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) in a high-risk population were investigated prospectively using an active surveillance method. The costs of conducting active surveillance were calculated. Among the 10 patients found to have VRE, routine cultures identified 3 (30%); thus, 70% of the VRE-colonized patients would have gone undetected in the absence of active surveillance. The total cost for 5 weeks of active surveillance was $2,234. Although active surveillance identified a high rate of VRE-colonized patients who otherwise may not have been identified, it remains to be determined if the additional costs are justified and result in reduced transmission.
authors.affiliation: Albany Medical Center, Albany Medical College, New York, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Zuckerman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Venezia
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Tobin
mesh_terms: D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000191:economics; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000191:economics / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000191:economics*; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000191:economics; D009518:New York; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance