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Undetected Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus Stool Colonization in a Veterans Affairs Hospital Using a Clostridium difficile–Focused Surveillance Strategy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Amy J. Ray ,
Claudia K. Hoyen ,
Sarbani M. Das ,
Elizabeth C. Eckstein  and
Curtis J. Donskey
Amy J. Ray
Affiliation:
University Hospitals of Cleveland
Claudia K. Hoyen
Affiliation:
Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio
Sarbani M. Das
Affiliation:
Infectious Diseases Section, Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Elizabeth C. Eckstein
Affiliation:
Infection Control Department, Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Curtis J. Donskey*
Affiliation:
Infectious Diseases Section, Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
*
Infectious Diseases Section, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 10701 East Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44106
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Abstract

We examined the point prevalence of undetected vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) stool colonization in an institution that screens stool samples submitted for Clostridium difficile testing. Of 112 patients not known to be colonized, 10 (9%) had rectal VRE colonization. A prospective algorithm was effective for identification of colonized patients.

Type
Concise Communications
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 23 , Issue 8 , August 2002 , pp. 474 - 477
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2002

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References

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