Vancomycin-resistant enterococci: a road map on how to prevent the emergence and transmission of antimicrobial resistance
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 26, 2026

Nanomechanics of Drug-target Interactions and Antibacterial Resistance Detection
Published on: October 25, 2013
Sylvain DeLisle1, Trish M Perl
1US Veterans Administration Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of Maryland, Baltimore 21201, USA. sdelisle@umaryland.edu
Abstract:
Nosocomial acquisition of microorganisms resistant to multiple antibiotics represents a threat to patient safety. Here we review the mechanisms that have allowed highly resistant strains belonging to the Enterococcus genus to proliferate within our health-care institutions. These mechanisms indicate that decreasing the prevalence of resistant organisms requires active surveillance, adherence to vigorous isolation, hand hygiene and environmental decontamination measures, and effective antibiotic stewardship. We suggest how to tailor such a complex, multidisciplinary program to the needs of a particular health-care setting so as to maximize cost-effectiveness.
Related Concept Videos
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance
Development of Antibiotic Resistance
Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
Antimicrobial Effectiveness
Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics
