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Outbreak of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Mark E. Rupp*
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Nebraska Health System, Omaha, Nebraska Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, Nebraska Health System, Omaha, Nebraska
Nedra Marion
Affiliation:
Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, Nebraska Health System, Omaha, Nebraska
Paul D. Fey
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Nebraska Health System, Omaha, Nebraska Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Nebraska Health System, Omaha, Nebraska Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, Nebraska Health System, Omaha, Nebraska
David L. Bolam
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Health System, Omaha, Nebraska
Peter C. Iwen
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Nebraska Health System, Omaha, Nebraska
Christine M. Overfelt
Affiliation:
Department of Nursing, Nebraska Health System, Omaha, Nebraska
Lucinda Chapman
Affiliation:
Department of Nursing, Nebraska Health System, Omaha, Nebraska
*
984031 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 681998-4031

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.

Type
Concise Communication
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2001

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