title: Vancomycin-resistant enterococci among chronic hemodialysis patients: a prospective study of acquisition.
abstract: To determine the prevalence and rate of acquisition of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) among patients undergoing chronic (i.e., long-term) hemodialysis who were admitted to a tertiary care center, serial rectal cultures for VRE were performed at hospital admission and every 5 days until hospital discharge. A total of 7 (6%) of the 119 patients were colonized with VRE at admission. Six (19%) of the 32 patients who remained in the hospital > or =4 days acquired VRE. A nonambulatory status was significantly associated with colonization at admission (OR, 9.7; 95% CI, 1.8-53; P=.01), and vancomycin exposure was significantly associated with VRE acquisition (relative risk, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-2.9; P=.02). All patients acquired VRE from epidemiologically linked dialysis patients colonized with similar VRE genotypes. Hospital acquisition of VRE contributes substantially to the increasing prevalence of VRE in the chronic hemodialysis patient population.
authors: Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232-2605, USA. erika.d'agata@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu
authors: E M
authors: EM
authors: D'Agata
authors: W K
authors: WK
authors: Green
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Schulman
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Li
authors: Y W
authors: YW
authors: Tang
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Schaffner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003428:Cross Infection; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014640:Vancomycin