What is Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci?

Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is well-known, but isn’t the only antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and other forms of bacteria like vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) can be problematic, too. VRE is actually six types of enterococci bacteria that can infect the intestinal system, bladder, vagina, or skin and is difficult to treat because it can’t be killed with antibiotics like vancomycin or several other antibiotic forms. Many people carry these bacteria without infection, but this remains problematic because it can spread easily with skin-to-skin or surface-to-skin contact, ultimately finding a host that will develop serious infection from it.

As with MRSA, vancomycin resistant enterococci may be most common in hospitals, and small failures in hygienic behavior can pass it from patient to patient. Poor attention to handwashing or ignoring basic protocol when touching and caring for patients can turn some people into carriers. Though they may not get sick, they may sicken others. Additionally, VRE is more dangerous in hospital settings because it has the opportunity to infect people with weakened immune systems. These people may be more likely to develop infection instead of just becoming carriers because their bodies are weakened or recovering from injury and they don’t have as much strength to fight bacteria.

The symptoms of infection from VRE are greatly variable, since the bacteria can take up residence in varying parts of the body. Some people develop severe intestinal infection and others might have conditions like difficult to treat urinary tract infections. Most seriously, vancomycin resistant enterococci may inhabit wounds, making it difficult for them to heal. Another potential area of concern is transmission of the bacteria from mother to fetus during birth. Though this is not very common, it still may be an extreme hazard for newborns because they lack fully mature immune systems and ability to fight disease.

The last thing most physicians want to do is to have to treat vancomycin resistant enterococci. It can be difficult to find an antibiotic treatment that is successful, and it may take more than one type of intravenous antibiotics to fully halt bacterial spread. Emphasis is on prevention, in a number of different ways. People are advised to use careful handwashing and be especially cautious if they must care for anyone who carries VRE. Using gloves and making certain to wash up is also important.

In most public settings, it’s also advisable for all people to avoid touching certain things, like the handles on bathroom doors. Using a paper towel to shut off flowing water from a bathroom sink and to open bathroom doors may help reduce the spread of vancomycin resistant enterococci. If people have VRE and are receiving medical treatment of any kind they should inform health care providers, who may be able to take extra precautions to avoid becoming colonized with the bacteria and thus posing a risk to others. Lastly, injudicious use of antibiotics in medicine is discouraged because it helps to encourage more antibiotic-resistant bacteria that create human health risk.