Rate of nosocomial transmission of vancomycin-resistant enterococci from isolated patients.
To evaluate an isolation policy for patients colonised with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), we instituted active surveillance for transmission to uncolonised patients. Surveillance rectal swabs were taken and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was performed on positive isolates. VRE transmission with an identical genotype occurred in 5 patients, giving a transmission rate of 3.7 per 1000 patient days, or 1 patient per ward each week. The present study provides a baseline for -assessment of VRE transmission and will be useful in evaluation of the effectiveness of infection control interventions.
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Unit, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. allenc@menzies.edu.au
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D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D015397:Program Evaluation; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance