What are VRE and MRSA?
The bacteria known as “entrococcus” and “staphylococcus aureus” are natural in our bodies. Enterococcus is generally found among the bacteria that live in our gastro-intestinal tract and our stools. Staphylococcus aureus is found in the bacteria on our skin, typically inside our noses. Each of these bacteria can be worrisome when they become resistant to antibiotics. Entrococcus transforms into “vancomycin resistant enterococcus (VRE)” only when it becomes resistant to the antibiotic known as vancomycin (but it can also become resistant to other antibiotics). Likewise, staphylococcus aureus transforms into “methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)” when it becomes resistant to the form of penicillin known as “methicillin” (but it, too, can become resistant to other forms of penicillin). You should also be aware that there is a difference between “health-care-associated” MRSA and “community-associated” MRSA. This column discusses “health-care-associated” MRSA. If you would lik
