Outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in a neonatal intensive care unit

M E Rupp; N Marion; P D Fey; D L Bolam; P C Iwen; C M Overfelt; L Chapman

doi:10.1086/501905

Outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in a neonatal intensive care unit

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2001 May;22(5):301-3. doi: 10.1086/501905.

Authors

M E Rupp¹, N Marion, P D Fey, D L Bolam, P C Iwen, C M Overfelt, L Chapman

Affiliation

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198-4031, USA.

PMID: 11428442
DOI: 10.1086/501905

Abstract

An outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium involving 28 infants in a neonatal intensive care unit was observed. Successful control of the outbreak was achieved following use of patient and staff cohorting, contact isolation precautions, patient and environmental surveillance cultures, environmental decontamination, molecular typing, introduction of an alcohol-based hand disinfectant, and decreased use of vancomycin.

MeSH terms

Bacterial Typing Techniques
Cross Infection / epidemiology*
Cross Infection / microbiology
Cross Infection / prevention & control
Disease Outbreaks*
Enterococcus faecium / drug effects*
Enterococcus faecium / isolation & purification
Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / epidemiology*
Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / prevention & control
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Infection Control / methods
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal*
Vancomycin Resistance*