Successful control of vancomycin-resitant enterococci outbreak in a hematology unit

Methods VRE was detected in clinical specimen by standard procedures from 3 different patients on a hematology unit. At that time, an infection control program was implemented. It included VRE screening in stool and rectal samples from all patients hospitalized in the epidemic ward and carriage screening to detect unknown colonized patients (at hospital admission, weekly and at discharge). Other infection control measures included: contact isolation of VRE carriers, daily cleaning and disinfection of the patient rooms and daily bathing of the VRE positive patients with antimicrobial washcloths. Cohorting of patients or staff was impossible due to full capacity of the hospital.