title: [Prevention and control of the spread of vancomycin-resistant enterococci: results of a workshop held by the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology].
abstract: The incidence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), especially E. faecium, is increasing in several German hospitals and some facilities have experienced VRE outbreaks. The German National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System has also noticed a sharp increase in the incidence of nosocomial VRE infections per 10,000 patients from 0.5 in 2003 to 11.0 in 2005 accompanied by a rise in VRE-associated mortality. However, the reasons of this increase remain unknown. As VRE may cause severe nosocomial infections, transmission must be restricted. This article provides the guidelines as defined by the workshop of the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology for the prevention of VRE transmission in both, endemic and epidemic, settings. The following topics are discussed: indication for VRE screening, microbiological diagnostics, general infection control measures (isolation precautions and use of protective clothing) and additional hygiene measures in the nosocomial VRE outbreak setting.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Krankenhaushygiene, Medizinische Hochschule, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Deutschland. Vonberg.Ralf@MH-Hannover.DE
authors.forename: R-P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Vonberg
authors.forename: I F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Chaberny
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kola
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mattner
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borgmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dettenkofer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jonas
authors.forename: A-M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fahr
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Klare
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weist
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wendt
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gastmeier
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000187:drug effects*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance