Clinical Considerations in the Approach to Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) increasingly colonize and infect assorted patient populations throughout the world, maintaining a continual reservoir of opportunistic pathogens with varying antibiotic resistance. Here we present the current general epidemiology and classification of these pathogens within the scope of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Risk factors for colonization and conditions for subsequent infection are reviewed, along with infection characteristics. Current infection control protocols and their effectiveness, selected evidence-based medical therapies, and ongoing research into alternative therapies are summarized.

Keywords

• Vancomycin-resistant enterococci
• Enterococcus faecalis
• Enterococcus faecium
• Vancomycin resistance
• Healthcare-associated infection
• Nosocomial infection