What is Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus?
Enterococcus is a germ that lives in most people’s bowels. Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) is the same germ, but it is a strain that has developed resistance to many commonly used antibiotics, specifically an antibiotic called Vancomycin. Can it be harmful? Enterococcus is a normal germ which does not harm people and is needed to keep people healthy. In hospital if the germs get passed to another part of the body they can cause an infection. When a person has an infection with VRE it can be difficult to treat because the usual antibiotics can’t get rid of it. How did I get VRE? People who have had a great deal of medical care can get VRE. They may have taken many antibiotics or have been in a hospital or nursing home. Natural resistance can occur from overuse of antibiotics or it can be spread by contact from someone with VRE. Why are special precautions needed? Special precautions are needed in order to prevent the spread of this organism to other patients in the hospital who
Enterococccus is a germ that lives in most peoples bowels. Vancomycin resistant enterococcus is the same germ, but it is a strain that has developed resistance to many commonly used antibiotics, specifically an antibiotic called Vancomycin. Can it be harmful? Enterococcus is a normal germ which does not harm people and is needed to keep people healthy. In hospital if the germs get passed to another part of the body they can cause an infection. When a person has an infection with VRE it can be difficult to treat because the usual antibiotics cant get rid of it. How did I get VRE? People who are in hospitals or nursing homes get VRE. It is spread by contact with the hands. Care givers can unknowingly transmit the germ during routine activities and procedures between patients. Why are special precautions needed? Special precautions are needed in order to prevent the spread of this organism to other patients in the hospital who are also ill and therefore more likely to develop an infection
