Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus in critical care areas.

Colonization with VRE must be identified to prevent the spread of the disease and the progression to infection in susceptible individuals. PCR assays and culturing techniques allow nurses and other members of the health care team to identify and treat colonized and infected patients. Although currently there is no effective treatment for VRE colonization, isolation precautions are paramount to prevent increased VRE transmission. Decolonization techniques should be considered in high-risk populations. For those who have clinical evidence of VRE infection, several approved treatment regimens can be implemented. The increasing incidence of VRE with simultaneous increasing resistance patterns demands the development of new antimicrobial agents. Collaborative management of both VRE colonization and infection can reduce the sky-rocketing numbers of hospital acquired infections and mortality from VRE infections.