[Environmental contamination during a vancomycin-resistant Enterococci outbreak at a hospital in Argentina]

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci isolates (VRE) have caused numerous outbreaks in intensive care units (ICUs). A contaminated hospital environment, the hands of health care workers (HCW), and carrier patients may play important roles in perpetuating the chain of transmission in these outbreaks. The aims of this study were to report the first VRE outbreak in our center and assess the role of environmental contamination and HCW hands in the spread of new cases of enterococcal infection.

Between August and December 2003, surveillance cultures were performed with samples from all patients (n = 113) admitted to the ICU, as well as cultures of samples from the environment (n = 69) and HCW hands (n = 23).

Eighteen clinical samples from 8 patients and 7 environmental samples yielded Enterococcus faecium (24 strains) and E. avium (1 strain). VRE was not detected on HCW hands. All the VRE isolates belonged to a single clone and carried the vanA gene.

Environmental contamination provides an important reservoir for future outbreaks of VRE, perpetuating transmission of the microorganism in the hospital setting.