Vancomycin - Resistant Enterococci

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci

Enterococci are a round shape of bacteria that are normally present in the human intestines and part of the normal flora of the female vaginal area. If these bacteria get the chance, they can cause infections. Because the bacteria is common in infections, the overuse and abuse of antibiotics have allowed a resistant type strain to grow. Vancomycin is an antibiotic drug that is commonly used to treat drug-resistant infections caused by enterococci. Unfortunately, in some cases, this bacteria has become resistant to Vancomycin and thus called Vancomycin-resistant enterococci. Most of which these infections do occur in hospital or other healthcare settings.

Those whom are at high risk for contracting this serious infection are ones who have been treated with Vancomycin or other antibiotics for long periods of time. This allows the bacteria to "learn" the antibiotic structure and mutate to overcome it. Also included are people with weakened immune systems or even the elder. Post surgical patients are added to the population of high risk, especially with abdominal or chest surgeries. Those who use any invasive medical devices like urinary, tracheal, or central intravenous catheters can pose a risk as well. Finally, there are the people that are colonized with the bacteria. Meaning that they harbor a larger amount than most people normally have.

Laboratory tests, like cultures, are necessary to determine which antibiotics to use to treat VRE properly. These can take up to forty eight hours and sometimes more for final results. Thus leaving a window of opportunity for the bacterial infection to spread quickly. There are times when more than one drug is needed to become completely free of the bacterial infection. For the people that colonize the bacteria and are not symptomatic do not need to be treated.

VRE is mainly spread by person to person contact due to contaminated hands of a healthcare worker. For example, post surgical incision that is infected and the healthcare worker does not use gloves nor does she wash her hands before touching the next post surgical patient. It can also be directly spread from surfaces to hands and then either ingested, exposed to mucous membranes, or open wounds. It cannot be spread through the air via coughing or sneezing.

The following steps can be used to prevent the spread of VRE: Keep your hands clean. Always wash thoroughly with warm running water and soap. Especially after using the bathroom and for sure before preparing or eating food/drinks. Keep surfaces that are often touched decontaminated with cleaners like Lysol or even bleach. Do not share wash cloths or towels with a person that has VRE. Wearing gloves may be necessary if coming in direct contact with any wound or bodily fluids/waste. Dispose