Where can vre be found?

Enterococci are bacteria (germs) that commonly live in the gastrointestinal tract (bowels) of most people (this is called colonisation) without causing illness.

Vancomycin is an antibiotic used to treat infections caused by enterococci. When enterococci become resistant to vancomycin (meaning the antibiotics are no longer effective), they are called vancomycin-resistant enterococci or VRE.

Most of the time VRE do not cause any problems and those who are colonised with VRE do not look or feel different to anyone else. However, sometimes VRE can get into other parts of the body and cause an infection.

There are other antibiotics that can be used to treat VRE infections.

People whose ability to fight infections is low, such as:

VRE can be spread from person to person through direct contact with an infected or colonised person.

This is either directly from the hands of another person or indirectly from environmental surfaces or medical equipment that have become contaminated.

It is not spread through the air or by coughing or sneezing.

There is no specific ‘VRE disease’.

The symptoms that develop with VRE infection are the ones you would get with any other bacterial infection such as:

In some cases VRE can enter the bloodstream, from either an existing infection such as an abscess or urinary tract infection or from a medical device such as a urinary catheter or intravenous catheter.

Symptoms of bloodstream infection are also not specific to VRE and can be the same as for other bacteria. Typically, signs and symptoms can include fever, shivering, and low blood pressure.

People carrying VRE in their bowel or other body sites show no signs or symptoms and it is impossible to tell if a person has VRE by looking at them.

If infection is suspected then a doctor will take a swab or specimen of, for example, blood, or wound, or urine or sputum and send it to the laboratory for testing.

There is no vaccination available to prevent you from acquiring VRE or treatment to eliminate VRE from your body. People colonised with VRE do not need to have any treatment or antibiotics.

If the VRE are causing infection, there are still some antibiotics that can be used.

If VRE is found in a specimen taken from you while you are in hospital, your healthcare team will continue to provide the same level of care. However, some extra precautions will be taken:

Your family and friends can visit you but to prevent the spread of VRE to other patients or the environment, it is important that all visitors:

Good hand hygiene will help prevent your family and friends from getting VRE. You should always perform hand hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water:

VRE can survive for long periods on environmental surfaces, for example toilets, table tops and chairs, so it is important to regularly clean your household. Your clothing can be washed in the usual manner, along with the rest of the household laundry.

If you go to another healthcare facility, visit another doctor or have home care services, you should tell them that you have a VRE.

Early detection of people who carry VRE is essential to stop any spread. This is why we screen for VRE in WA hospitals.

If someone has a history of being in a hospital or residential care facility outside of WA in the last 12 months, a specimen to screen for VRE (either a stool sample or a rectal swab) will be taken from them when they are admitted to hospital.

What are vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)? Enterococci are a type of bacteria (germ) normally present in the gut and in the female genital tract. They are also found in the environment. Vancomycin is an antibiotic often used to treat infections caused by enterococci.

What are vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)?

Enterococci are a type of bacteria (germ) normally present in the gut and in the female genital tract. They are also found in the environment. Vancomycin is an antibiotic often used to treat infections caused by enterococci. Some enterococci have become resistant to vancomycin and these bacteria are called vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).

Who gets VRE?

Healthy people usually do not get VRE infections. Most VRE infections occur in hospitals. People with the following conditions are at increased risk for getting infected with VRE:

How are VRE spread?

VRE are often spread indirectly from person to person on the hands of caregivers or contact with contaminated items (e.g., medical equipment) or surfaces (e.g., toilet seats, door knobs). VRE can also spread directly from person to person by contact with body fluids containing VRE (e.g., blood, feces, urine). VRE infection is not spread through the air by a cough or sneeze.

What are the symptoms of VRE?

People can carry enterococci or VRE in their bodies without developing any symptoms. This is called being “colonized”. A person might be colonized for a long time before getting sick or might never get sick. VRE can cause infections of the urinary tract, the bloodstream, wounds associated with catheters or surgical procedures, or other body sites. Symptoms will depend on the site of infection, but include fever and pain at the site. Wound infection symptoms might also include swelling, redness, and discharge (pus).

How soon after exposure do symptoms appear?

In most situations, exposure to VRE does not lead to illness. The person might carry the VRE in his or her body, but not get sick at all, or might get sick from the VRE days, weeks, or months later.

How are VRE diagnosed?

If VRE infection is suspected, a sample can be taken from the infection site (e.g., wound, blood, or urine) and sent to the laboratory for testing. If enterococci bacteria are isolated, more laboratory tests are needed to determine which antibiotics will be effective for treating them. If the bacteria are resistant to the antibiotic vancomycin, a diagnosis of VRE is made.

What is the treatment for VRE?

Treatment is usually not needed for people who are colonized with VRE (carry VRE but do not have any symptoms of infection). Most VRE infections can be treated with antibiotics other than vancomycin. Laboratory testing can help healthcare providers determine which antibiotics will work. For people who have VRE infection in the bladder and a urinary catheter, removing the catheter when it is no longer needed can help get rid of the infection.

How can the spread of VRE be prevented?

Use of good infection prevention practices (such as wearing a gown and gloves when caring for patients with VRE, and frequent hand hygiene by healthcare workers) can limit the spread of VRE in healthcare settings. Patients with VRE should follow all instructions given by their care providers and keep their hands clean, especially after touching the affected area or using the bathroom. Friends or family members visiting a hospitalized patient with VRE should follow the hospital’s recommended precautions.

What if I have VRE or I am caring for someone with VRE at home? If someone has VRE or lives in a house with someone with VRE, the following things can be done to prevent the spread of VRE: