[Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci]

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have been detected from all over Japan since 1996. However, the incidence has been relatively low. In 2006, we organized Kyoto VRE surveillance group, established a VRE control program, and conducted an investigation which was to control the post-outbreak prevalence of VRE in the affected Kyoto region. The study period was from 2005 to 2010. Faecal samples were subjected to VRE screening, and vancomycin resistance genes were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A VRE control program consists of a laboratory-based faecal VRE screening system, annual surveillance of hospital inpatients and the promotion of adequate infection control measures. Number of VRE-detected patients was significantly smaller in hospitals with routine laboratory-based faecal VRE screening. From an- nual surveillance, the rate of faecal VRE carriage among the patients enrolled in the annual surveillance in- creased until 2007, when it reached 24(1.2%) of the 2,035 enrolled patients. The rate began to decrease in 2008 and, by 2010, reached a low of 4(0.17%) of the 2,408 enrolled patients. While VRE did spread within the Kyoto region, our program succeeded in controlling the overall VRE spread. [Review].