Enterococcus faecium : from microbiological insights to practical recommendations for infection control and diagnostics

AbstractEarly in its evolution,Enterococcus faecium acquired traits that allowed it to become a successful nosocomial pathogen.E. faecium inherent tenacity to build resistance to antibiotics and environmental stressors that allows the species to thrive in hospital environments. The continual wide use of antibiotics in medicine has been an important driver in the evolution ofE. faecium becoming a highly proficient hospital pathogen.For successful prevention and reduction of nosocomial infections with vancomycin resistantE. faecium (VREfm), it is essential to focus on reducing VREfm carriage and spread. The aim of this review is to incorporate microbiological insights ofE. faecium into practical infection control recommendations, to reduce the spread of hospital-acquired VREfm (carriage and infections). The spread of VREfm can be controlled by intensified cleaning procedures, antibiotic stewardship, rapid screening of VREfm carriage focused on high-risk populations, and identification of transmission routes through accurate detection and typing methods in outbreak situations. Further, for successful management ofE. faecium, continual innovation in the fields of diagnostics, treatment, and eradication is necessary.
Source: Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research