title: Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci: Epidemiology, Infection Prevention, and Control.
abstract: Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infections have acquired prominence as a leading cause of health care-associated infections. Understanding VRE epidemiology, transmission modes in health care settings, risk factors for colonization, and infection is essential to prevention and control of VRE infections. Infection control strategies are pivotal in management of VRE infections and should be based on patient characteristics, hospital needs, and available resources. Hand hygiene is basic to decrease acquisition of VRE. The effectiveness of surveillance and contact precautions is variable and controversial in endemic settings, but important during VRE outbreak investigations and control. Environmental cleaning, chlorhexidine bathing, and antimicrobial stewardship are vital in VRE prevention and control.
authors.affiliation: Infection Prevention and Control, Division of Infectious Disease, Henry Ford Hospital, Henry Ford Health System, 2799 West Grand Boulevard, CFP 302, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. Electronic address: kreyes1@hfhs.org.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Disease, Henry Ford Health System, 2799 West Grand Boulevard, CFP 302, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
authors.forename: Ana Cecilia
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bardossy
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Disease, Henry Ford Health System, 2799 West Grand Boulevard, CFP 302, Detroit, MI 48202, USA; Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zervos
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D063373:Hand Hygiene; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D065507:Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci
keywords: Enterococci; Health care–associated infections; Infection control; VRE