Who gets VRE?
VRE is usually spread to others from the hands of caregivers and from hospital equipment. VRE can live on gloves, telephones, stethoscopes, and countertops for up to seven days. VRE can live anywhere, and anyone can get it. You are at higher risk if you: • Have ever received vancomycin or other antibiotics for a long period of time. • Have a life-long illness. • Have a very weak immune system. This is when your body cannot fight off illnesses others would normally fight off. • Are an intravenous (in-truh-V-nus) (IV) drug user. • Have had an organ transplant, especially liver. • Are a dialysis (di-AL-ih-sis) patient. • Have been in the intensive care unit (ICU), or around someone that has VRE. • Have had any surgeries, especially abdominal, pelvic, heart, brain, or spinal cord surgeries. • Have any tubes placed in you for a medical condition. These include tubes used for certain abdominal procedures, feeding tubes, and IV tubes. How do I know if I have VRE? If you have an infection that
