Case-case-control study on factors associated with vanB vancomycin-resistant and vancomycin-susceptible enterococcal...

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Microbiology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Enterococci are a significant cause of healthcare-associated infections.
• VanB vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) is the predominant genotype in Australia.
• Limited data exist on factors associated with vanB VRE bacteraemia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors associated with vanB VRE bacteraemia.
• To compare these factors with those of vancomycin-susceptible enterococci (VSE) bacteraemia.

Main Methods:

• A case-case-control study was conducted in two tertiary hospitals in Victoria, Australia.
• VRE and VSE bacteraemia cases were compared with controls without enterococcal bacteraemia.
• The study analyzed risk factors for VRE and VSE bacteraemia.

Main Results:

• Urinary catheter use within 30 days was associated with vanB VRE bacteraemia (OR 2.86).
• Increased metronidazole therapy duration was linked to both vanB VRE (OR 1.65) and VSE (OR 1.23) bacteraemia.
• History of gastrointestinal disease was associated with VSE bacteraemia (OR 2.29).

Conclusions:

• This study is the largest case-case-control investigation of vanB VRE bacteraemia.
• Factors contributing to vanB VRE bacteraemia are distinct from those of VSE bacteraemia.