[Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)].
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci is a worldwide threat not only in hospitals, but also in communities. Community-acquired infections play an important role in spreading VRE because the use of avoparcin, an antimicrobial growth promoter in food animals, is strongly suggested to cause the emergence of VRE. In particular, chickens imported into Japan have been reported to be highly contaminated with VRE, and this may be a key issue in the prevalence of VRE. Nosocomial VRE infections have become a serious problem in immuno-compromised patients throughout the world, and many VREs have been isolated in Japan in the last few years; however, fortunately, nosocomial outbreaks are still rare. VRE can survive for weeks in hospital environments, which makes infection control difficult and complicated, and strains of VRE resistant to almost all antimicrobial agents are a real threat. In outbreaks of VRE, prudent antimicrobial use and prompt effective infection control are important.
Fujita
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Department of Clinical and Laboratory Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto 602-8566.
D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D012307:Risk Factors; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D014769:Virginiamycin / Q000627:therapeutic use
D005839:Gentamicins; D014769:Virginiamycin; C062940:quinupristin-dalfopristin; D000667:Ampicillin