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

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Vancomycin-resistant enterococci; hematology and oncology; infection; intestinal colonization; screening; surveillance.