Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026
05:02
A 1.5 Hour Procedure for Identification of Enterococcus Species Directly from Blood Cultures
Published on: February 10, 2011
Vancomycin-resistant enterococcal bacteremia: comparison of clinical features and outcome between Enterococcus
Yen-Yi Chou1, Te-Yu Lin, Jung-Chung Lin
1Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, No. 325 Section 2 Cheng-Kung Road, Neihu 114, Taipei, Taiwan.
Summary
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) bacteremia, particularly from E. faecium, is associated with poor outcomes in hospitalized patients. Strict infection control and judicious antibiotic use are crucial to combat VRE spread.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Microbiology
- Hospital Epidemiology
Background:
- Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are significant nosocomial pathogens.
- VRE infections pose a growing threat in healthcare settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with VRE bacteremia.
- To compare Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis in terms of clinical features and prognosis.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of VRE bacteremia cases from November 1998 to July 2006 in a Taiwanese medical center.
- Comparison of clinical and microbiological data between E. faecium and E. faecalis infections.
Main Results:
- Twelve patients (mean age 69.3 years) with VRE bacteremia were analyzed, with most having underlying conditions and prior broad-spectrum antibiotic exposure.
- E. faecium bacteremia (8 cases) showed higher resistance to ampicillin and teicoplanin compared to E. faecalis (4 cases).
- A higher 60-day mortality rate was observed in E. faecium bacteremia (62.5%) versus E. faecalis (0.0%), though not statistically significant (p=0.08).
Conclusions:
- VRE bacteremia significantly impacts patient mortality and morbidity.
- Vancomycin-resistant E. faecium bacteremia carries a grave prognosis, especially in immunocompromised individuals.
- Prudent antibiotic stewardship and stringent infection control are essential to prevent VRE emergence and transmission.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...
01:25Endocarditis II: Clinical Features of Infective Endocarditis
Endocarditis can present various clinical features depending on the causative organism and the patient's underlying health conditions. Initially, the clinical features of infective endocarditis develop gradually, presenting with nonspecific symptoms that can be easily mistaken for other illnesses.General SymptomsEarly symptoms of infective endocarditis are fever, chills, weakness, malaise, fatigue, and weight loss. These symptoms reflect the systemic nature of the infection and the body's...
01:25Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA
Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...
01:28Antimicrobial Effectiveness
The effectiveness of antimicrobial agents depends on various factors influencing their ability to eliminate microbial populations. Larger microbial populations require more time for complete eradication, emphasizing the importance of population size analysis when evaluating antimicrobial efficacy.Microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents varies significantly. Highly resilient microorganisms include endospores, gram-negative bacteria, and non-enveloped viruses, while prions are exceptionally...
01:18Bacterial Gastroenteritis
Bacterial gastroenteritis, characterized by diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting, is often caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water and is frequently associated with pathogenic Escherichia coli strains. These microbes exploit two principal mechanisms to inflict disease.Shiga toxin–producing E. coli, also referred to as STEC—notably O157:H7—release Shiga toxins that target ribosomes, blocking protein synthesis. The B subunit of the toxin binds the host glycolipid receptor...