title: Environmental survival of vancomycin-sensitive ampicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (AREfm).
abstract: Ampicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (AREfm) has gained increased footholds in many hospital intensive care units (ICUs) and belongs to specific hospital-adapted E. faecium sub-populations. Three AREfm strains survived in an in vitro survival setting for approximately 5.5 years. These findings have important consequences for the epidemiology of AREfm in hospital settings and stress the importance of maintaining a good level of hospital hygiene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Atrium Medical Centre Parkstad, Postbox 4446, 6401 CX, Heerlen, The Netherlands, medische.microbiologie@atriummc.nl.
authors.forename: J H T
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wagenvoort
authors.forename: E I G B
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: De Brauwer
authors.forename: R J R
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Penders
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: van der Linden
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Willems
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Top
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bonten
mesh_terms: D000667:Ampicillin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000668:Ampicillin Resistance; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D016984:Enterococcus faecium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014640:Vancomycin; D000667:Ampicillin