VRE: Vancomycin‐resistant enterococcus

What is it?

• Enterococci are bacteria that live in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of most individuals
• Vancomycin‐resistant enterococci (VRE) are strains of Enterococci that are resistant to the antibiotic
vancomycin
• Infections such as urinary tract infections or bloodstream infections caused by VRE may be more difficult to
treat
• VRE can live in or on individuals without causing illness (this is the majority of cases)

How is it spread?

• From one person to another by contact, usually on the transiently colonized hands of health care workers
• Indirectly from contact with contaminated environmental surfaces and patient care equipment

Where is it found?
• VRE can be found in the bowel, female genital tract, skin, oropharynx and/or bile
• May survive in the environment for up to 7 days on hands, gloves, equipment and environmental surfaces
such as bedrails, door handles, toilet seats, furniture, telephones, stethoscopes, rectal thermometers and
bedpans

Prevention and control:
• Use contact precautions (in addition to routine practices) when caring for someone with VRE
• Provide a private room with dedicated toileting facilities for colonized/infected individuals
• Clean hands well and often with alcohol‐based hand rub or soap and water
• Wear gloves and gown when entering a patient room in acute care or for direct care of residents in long‐
term care (must be discarded before leaving the room)
• Dedicate patient/resident equipment or clean and disinfect equipment after patient/resident use
for shared equipment
• Clean and disinfect all high touch and horizontal surfaces in the room daily (stringent protocols required)
• Inform the receiving department and staff involved about transport of the infection control precautions in
use
• Ensure appropriate terminal cleaning of the room after discharge
• Discontinue precautions only at the direction of the infection
prevention and control team