What Are Enterococci?
Enterococcus (the plural form is Enterococci) is a type of bacteria found naturally in the body’s intestinal tract and in the genital tracts of women. As long as they stay in the intestinal or female genital tract, they don’t usually cause problems and do not need to be treated. This is known as a “colonization” rather than an “infection.” However, enterococci can cause dangerous infections in other parts of the body like the urinary tract, the bloodstream, a wound or a catheter insertion site if it travels to them.
Antibiotic Resistance and Superbug Survival
Antibiotics are drugs that can kill or inhibit disease-causing bacteria. Unfortunately, antibiotics are commonly overused and misused. As a result, bacteria that should be destroyed by antibiotics have, in some cases, become antibiotic-resistant.
Vancomycin is an antibiotic that has been around for more than 50 years. It was originally developed for infections that are resistant to penicillin, including MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and the oral form is used to treat another tough infection, C. difficile.
But, in recent years, some of those more aggressive infection-causing bacteria, like MRSA, have become resistant to vancomycin, too. Those bacteria that used to succumb to vancomycin have evolved to be able to tolerate it. Included is one form of enterococcal infection, now widely known as VRE. While it is not always lethal, it can cause serious illness or death, particularly in older, sicker people with weakened immune systems.
Who Is at Risk?
Medically ill patients are at increased risk of developing and dying from a VRE infection. This includes:
People who are elderly and frailThose previously treated for long periods of time with vancomycin or other antibioticsHospitalized patients, particularly those receiving long courses of antibioticsImmunocompromised patients in such as those in intensive care units, cancer or transplant unitsSurgical patients who have undergone procedures involving the abdomen or chest. People with medical devices such as urinary catheters or central intravenous (IV) cathetersPeople who are colonized with VRE
Preventing VRE and Other Hospital-Acquired Infections
Prevention of VRE, like all other hospital-acquired infections, is key. Whether you are a patient, a caregiver or a patient advocate, follow the steps to prevent a hospital-acquired infection. These include:
Careful and frequent hand-washingImmediate and appropriate treatment of cuts, scrapes, or other breaks in the skinCareful cleaning of personal care items such as razors and toothbrushesMinimizing the length of use of catheters, and careful and appropriate use of such devices when needed
