Elimination of XXXX -resistant enterococci from a neonatal intensive care unit following an outbreak.

@entity1 @entity2176 @entity693 @entity281 @entity6375 @entity5136
A policy of weekly faecal cultures for @entity2176 -resistant enterococci (VRE) was instituted following the investigation of an outbreak of VRE in our neonatal intensive care unit in 2005. We found that 11 of 18 @entity1 were infected or colonised during the outbreak, including three cases of @entity281 and one case of @entity693 . This report describes the utility of the surveillance policy in maintaining a VRE-free environment. The outbreak investigation showed that all VRE isolated were @entity6375 of the vanA type. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis suggested that the outbreak was caused by a single strain. Control of the outbreak was achieved by enhanced contact isolation precautions, cohorting of @entity1 and staff, improved environmental decontamination and closure of the unit to new admissions. The @entity1 with @entity281 and @entity693 were treated successfully with @entity5136 . Approximately one year after the outbreak, weekly surveillance detected two @entity1 with faecal carriage of VRE whose periods of admission overlapped. Early intensive intervention was associated with disappearance of the organism from the neonatal intensive care unit. No further cases of colonisation or disease have occurred in the unit in the two and a half years since then.
