Prospective infection surveillance and systematic screening for vancomycin-resistant enterococci in hematologic and oncologic patients - findings of a German tertiary care center.

INTRODUCTION

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are emerging multidrug-resistant bacteria. They can cause serious nosocomial infections, especially in immunocompromised patients.

OBJECTIVES AND

METHODS

In this study, we aimed to determine the burden of intestinal VRE colonization and clinically relevant infection in adult hematologic and oncologic patients at a tertiary care clinic in Germany based on prospective infection surveillance and an active screening program.

RESULTS

In a 12 month period, 132 of 555 patients had intestinal VRE-colonization (23.8%) and four patients (0.7% of the entire cohort, and 3.0% of those colonized with VRE) developed a nosocomial infection with VRE.

CONCLUSIONS

The prospective surveillance and active screening for VRE was very useful to determine the true ratio of intestinal colonization to infection and thus helps to shape infection control management.