Download Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)
What is VRE?
 Enterococci are generally harmless bacteria that live in the intestines of most people, but can
sometimes cause serious infections.
 Vancomycin is an antibiotic that is often used to treat very serious infections.
 VRE is a bacterium that has become resistant to, and cannot be treated with, vancomycin.
How is VRE detected?
Blood tests or tests on samples such as rectal swabs, wound swabs, and urine are used to identify
VRE.
How might VRE affect me?
VRE can cause colonisation or infection.
 Colonisation means you have the bacteria in or on your body as part of your normal healthy
microbial flora. You are not sick because of it, and your hospital stay should not be increased,
unless it causes an infection.
 Infection means the bacteria in or on the body are now making you sick. Resistance to
antibiotics including vancomycin limits some of the antibiotics that can be used to treat the
infection.
How is VRE spread?
People can become infected by VRE if they touch other people who have the infection or surfaces
that are contaminated, and then touch their mouth area without washing their hands.
VRE is not spread through the air by coughing or sneezing.
Can I spread it to other people?
In hospital, you can potentially spread the bacteria to other patients who are at increased risk of
infection because their body’s defence mechanisms are weakened by illness, surgery,
medications and procedures.
VRE is not usually a risk to healthy people.
What will happen when I am in hospital?
You will be moved to a single room and placed in contact isolation and/or have your own toilet to
reduce the risk of VRE spreading from you to other patients. Hospital staff will wear gloves and
gowns or aprons when carrying out certain aspects of your care.
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)
HealthInfo:72231
For more information, go to www.healthinfo.org.nz
Issued: 24 March 2014
Page 1 of 2
What can I do to prevent spreading it to other people while in hospital?
It is important that you do not visit patients in other parts of the ward or in other wards. You may
also be asked not to go into communal areas.
Good hand hygiene is the single most important measure to prevent the spread of VRE within
hospitals.
You can help prevent the spread of VRE by cleaning your hands regularly, particularly after going
to the toilet. Alcohol-based hand rubs or gels are hand cleansers that do not require water and
are an excellent alternative to hand washing. They are available for use in all hospital wards and
departments.
Encourage everyone who visits, including healthcare workers, to wash their hands after visiting
you.
Will it affect my family and friends?
Visitors, including pregnant women and young children, are not at risk from VRE. However,
please remind your visitors that they must wash their hands or use the alcohol-based hand rub
on leaving your room.
If your visitors have other people they wish to visit in the hospital they should do that before
coming to see you.
Your laundry can be washed as usual.
Will VRE stop me from going home?
VRE will not stop you from going home. You will be discharged as soon as your general condition
allows.
What happens when I go home?
The presence of VRE does not pose a risk to the health of your family and friends when you are at
home or at work.
As always, good hand washing is important for you and everyone else at home. Normal
household cleaning practices are sufficient. Towels, clothes, bed sheets and other items can be
washed as usual. All utensils and dishes can be washed as usual. Restrictions on activities or
visitors to your home are not necessary.
If there is anything else you wish to know, please ask your general practice team.
Information provided by Infection Prevention and Control Service, Canterbury DHB. March 2014..
72231
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)
HealthInfo:72231
For more information, go to www.healthinfo.org.nz
Issued: 24 March 2014
Page 2 of 2