| The CDC reported that VRE in US hospitals had shot up from 0.3 percent of
all enterococci in 1989 to 7.9 percent in 1993. In some hospitals, the percentage
was closer to 14 percent. By the mid-1990's, the mortality rate for patients with
VRE had climbed to more that 40 percent.It has been estimated
that more than 300,000 patients with malignant tumors are at risk of developing infection
with vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) each year in the U. S. alone. VRE infections
result in average incremental costs of over $80,000 per patient.
In 1999, more than 25% of Enterococcus bacterial infections in intensive care
units were Vancomycin resistant (VRE), a 47% increase from 1994. VRE infections are
associated with longer hospital and intensive care unit stays, higher mortality, and
higher health care costs. Certain patient populations are at greater risk of VRE
infection, including patients undergoing treatment with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or
immunosuppressive compounds. VRE infection occurs in 14% of patients in adult oncology
units, in 19% of pediatric patients with malignant tumors, and in 17% of patients with
leukemia.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) together with Clostridium
difficile, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and extended spectrum ,
ß-lactamase resistant gram-negative bacteria have been referred to as the 'Four
Horsemen of the Apocalypse.'
Phage Therapy for Treating Enterococcus and VRE Infections
Phage Therapy Center
Phage Therapy Center treats antibiotic-resistant infections. [More information...]
Additional Information About Phage Therapy for this Condition
Infection and Immunology 2002 Mar
Bacteriophage therapy rescues mice bacteremic from a clinical
isolate of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium
Evergreen State College
Phage Therapy as Antibiotics
Georgian Academy of Sciences
G.Eliava Institute of
Bacteriophage, Microbiology, and Virology
Eliava Institute
List of Bacteriophages
Daily University Science News
Bacteriophage
Successful Against Resistant Bacteria
Biotech Journal
Bacteriophage Therapy
Med Hypotheses. 2002 Apr
Treatment of post-burns bacterial infections by bacteriophages,
specifically ubiquitous Pseudomonas spp. notoriously resistant to antibiotics.
BioDrugs. 2002
Bacteriophages: potential treatment for bacterial infections
The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2003
Experimental Protection of Mice against Lethal Staphylococcus
aureus Infection by Novel Bacteriophage  MR11
A series of rigorous studies into phage therapy by Smith et
al. in the 1980s made a significant contribution that led to
reevaluation of phage efficacy against infections of E. coli,
Acinetobacter baumanii , Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella
species, Lactococcus garvieae, and Enterococcus faecium in
animal models or in natural animal targets of these virulent
microbes. These, together with the present study, support the potential
of phage therapy against various bacterial infectious diseases; in
fact, successful treatment for humans has been reportedly achieved
in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.
Medical Information
CDC
VRE -
Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci
CDC, July, 2004
Nosocomial Infection with Vancomycin-dependent Enterococci
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are major nosocomial pathogens
worldwide
Nov, 2002
Vancomycin-resistant
Enterococci (VRE) and the Clinical Laboratory
Enterococci can become resistant to vancomycin by acquisition of genetic information from
another organism. Most commonly, this resistance is seen in E. faecium and E. faecalis,
but also has been recognized in E. raffinosus, E. avium, E. durans, and several other
enterococcal species.
Consumer's Union
Stop Hospital Infections.org
Gentlebirth.org
VRE
HAPS (Australia)
Vancomycin-resistant
Enterococcus |
