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Published on: December 4, 2020
Recurrent vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus bacteremia: prevalence, predisposing factors, and strain relatedness
J Baran1, K M Riederer, J Ramanathan
1St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit, MI 48236, USA. joseph.baran@stjohn.org
Summary
Recurrent vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) bacteremia is uncommon in inpatients, affecting only 8.3% of cases. Predisposing factors included mucositis, neutropenia, and chronic renal failure requiring hemodialysis.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Microbiology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) is a significant nosocomial pathogen.
- Understanding VRE recurrence is crucial for infection control.
Observation:
- A 3-year study at an institution identified 36 cases of VRE bacteremia.
- Three patients (8.3%) experienced recurrent VRE bacteremia.
Findings:
- Recurrent VRE bacteremia was uncommon (8.3%).
- Predisposing factors included mucositis, neutropenia, and chronic renal failure requiring hemodialysis.
- Strain analysis revealed identical/related strains for recurrences within 3 months and distinct strains for longer intervals.
Implications:
- The low recurrence rate suggests effective management or limited endogenous reservoirs.
- Identifying predisposing factors aids in targeted patient monitoring.
- Strain relatedness data informs transmission dynamics and infection control strategies.
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