Biomaterial Database

The epidemiology of fecal carriage of vancomycin-resistant enterococci. 1997

K K Lai, and S A Fontecchio, and A L Kelley, and Z S Melvin, and S Baker

Division of Infectious Disease and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester 01655, USA.

An outbreak of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) began at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in May 1993. As of September 1995, we had a total of 253 patients infected or colonized with VRE, with consequent increasing demand for private rooms. We analyzed results of surveillance cultures for VRE of 49 patients known to be colonized or infected with VRE. Of these, 34 (70%) were classified as persistent carriers, defined as patients with at least three consecutively positive cultures from any site taken over at least a 2-week period. The length of carriage varied from 19 to 303 days (median, 41 days); 11 patients were converters, defined as patients with three consecutive negative cultures from all previously colonized sites taken over a 3-week period. These patients were free of VRE for 39 to 421 days (median, 142 days). Four were recolonizers after they were documented to be clear of VRE for 33 to 106 days. VRE carriage tends to be prolonged, and hospitalization of patients with VRE will require continued isolation and contact precautions for control of transmission.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008404	Massachusetts	State bounded on the north by New Hampshire and Vermont, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Connecticut and Rhode Island, and on the west by New York.
D002353	Carrier State	The condition of harboring an infective organism without manifesting symptoms of infection. The organism must be readily transmissible to another susceptible host.	Asymptomatic Carrier State,Asymptomatic Infection Carrier,Inapparent Infection Carrier,Presymptomatic Carrier State,Presymptomatic Infection Carrier,Super-spreader Carrier,Superspreader Carrier,Asymptomatic Carrier States,Asymptomatic Infection Carriers,Carrier State, Asymptomatic,Carrier State, Presymptomatic,Carrier States,Carrier, Super-spreader,Carrier, Superspreader,Carriers, Super-spreader,Carriers, Superspreader,Inapparent Infection Carriers,Infection Carrier, Asymptomatic,Infection Carrier, Inapparent,Infection Carrier, Presymptomatic,Presymptomatic Carrier States,Presymptomatic Infection Carriers,Super spreader Carrier,Super-spreader Carriers,Superspreader Carriers
D003428	Cross Infection	Any infection which a patient contracts in a health-care institution.	Hospital Infections,Nosocomial Infections,Health Care Associated Infection,Health Care Associated Infections,Healthcare Associated Infections,Infection, Cross,Infections, Hospital,Infections, Nosocomial,Cross Infections,Healthcare Associated Infection,Hospital Infection,Infection, Healthcare Associated,Infection, Hospital,Infection, Nosocomial,Infections, Cross,Infections, Healthcare Associated,Nosocomial Infection
D004352	Drug Resistance, Microbial	The ability of microorganisms, especially bacteria, to resist or to become tolerant to chemotherapeutic agents, antimicrobial agents, or antibiotics. This resistance may be acquired through gene mutation or foreign DNA in transmissible plasmids (R FACTORS).	Antibiotic Resistance,Antibiotic Resistance, Microbial,Antimicrobial Resistance, Drug,Antimicrobial Drug Resistance,Antimicrobial Drug Resistances,Antimicrobial Resistances, Drug,Drug Antimicrobial Resistance,Drug Antimicrobial Resistances,Drug Resistances, Microbial,Resistance, Antibiotic,Resistance, Drug Antimicrobial,Resistances, Drug Antimicrobial
D005243	Feces	Excrement from the INTESTINES, containing unabsorbed solids, waste products, secretions, and BACTERIA of the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
D006785	Hospitals, University	Hospitals maintained by a university for the teaching of medical students, postgraduate training programs, and clinical research.	University Hospitals
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014640	Vancomycin	Antibacterial obtained from Streptomyces orientalis. It is a glycopeptide related to RISTOCETIN that inhibits bacterial cell wall assembly and is toxic to kidneys and the inner ear.	AB-Vancomycin,Diatracin,VANCO-cell,Vanco Azupharma,Vanco-saar,Vancocin,Vancocin HCl,Vancocine,Vancomicina Abbott,Vancomicina Chiesi,Vancomicina Combino Phar,Vancomicina Norman,Vancomycin Hexal,Vancomycin Hydrochloride,Vancomycin Lilly,Vancomycin Phosphate (1:2),Vancomycin Phosphate (1:2), Decahydrate,Vancomycin Sulfate,Vancomycin-ratiopharm,Vancomycine Dakota,Hydrochloride, Vancomycin,Sulfate, Vancomycin
D016983	Enterococcus	A genus of gram-positive, coccoid bacteria consisting of organisms causing variable hemolysis that are normal flora of the intestinal tract. Previously thought to be a member of the genus STREPTOCOCCUS, it is now recognized as a separate genus.