title: Vancomycin-resistant enterococci in neonates.
abstract: Fecal-oral transmission of vancomycin-resistant strains of Enterococci (VRE), which colonize the human gastrointestinal tract, has led to nosocomial epidemics in recent years. The aim of this study was to establish the incidence and associated factors of fecal colonization with VRE in neonates. In our hospital 110 rectal swab specimens collected in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were examined for VRE. For comparison, rectal swabs collected from 42 healthy neonates on the obstetrics ward were also analyzed. Of the NICU patients, 8 had VRE MICs of 8-64 microg/ml for vancomycin and 2-32 microg/ml for teicoplanin, whereas none of the healthy newborns, had VRE (p < 0.05). All patients positive for VRE had factors known to be associated with VRE carriage, such as low birth weight or long-term antibiotic therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Bacteriology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, Inciralti, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yüce
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karaman
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gülay
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yulug
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009775:Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance