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Vancomycin-resistant enterococci in intensive care hospital settings
1Wellcome Trust Centre for the Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, University of Oxford, UK. daren.austin@zoology.oxford.ac.uk
Memorias Do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
|November 27, 1998
Summary
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) pose a growing threat in hospitals. Without controls, VRE transmission is high (R0=3-4), but with infection control measures, transmission drops (R0=0.6), stabilizing VRE in ICUs.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are an emerging nosocomial pathogen.
- VRE presents a significant treatment challenge for critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICUs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To study the epidemiology of VRE transmission within ICUs.
- To define the basic reproductive number (R0) for VRE transmission in ICUs.
Main Methods:
- Estimation of the basic reproductive number (R0) for VRE.
- Modeling VRE transmission dynamics in ICU settings.
- Analysis of VRE transmission with and without infection control measures.
Main Results:
- In the absence of infection control measures, R0 for VRE is estimated to be between 3 and 4 in ICUs.
- With the implementation of infection control measures, R0 is estimated to be 0.6.
- Admission of VRE-colonized patients can lead to the stabilization of endemic VRE.
Conclusions:
- VRE transmission in ICUs is highly dependent on the presence of infection control measures.
- Effective infection control strategies are crucial for managing and preventing VRE endemicity.
- The R0 value provides a quantitative measure for understanding and controlling VRE spread in healthcare settings.