Some people get rid of VRE infections on their own as their bodies get stronger. This can take
a few months
or even longer. Other times, an infection will go away and then come back. Sometimes the infection will go away, but the bacteria will remain without causing infection.
How do you get rid of VRE?
Active VRE infections are treated with an
antibiotic
that’s not vancomycin. Your doctor can take a culture of the bacteria and have it tested in a laboratory to see which antibiotic might work best. Researchers are working to develop new types of antibiotics that treat VRE.
Can you be cured of VRE?
VRE infections can be cured in most patients
, and the outcome is often more dependent on the underlying disease than on the infecting organism. The duration of treatment depends on the site of infection. For example, heart-valve infections may require six weeks of antibiotic therapy.
Is VRE contagious?
VRE can
spread from one person to another through contact with contaminated
surfaces or equipment or through person to person spread, often via contaminated hands. It is not spread through the air by coughing or sneezing.
How long can VRE live on hands?
VRE is spread from person to person or by touching a surface touched by someone with VRE. The VRE germ can survive on hard surfaces for
five to seven days
and on hands for hours. It is easy to stop the spread of VRE with good cleaning and by washing your hands.
Should patients with VRE be isolated?
Because patients with VRE can remain colonized for long periods after discharge from the hospital, establish a system for highlighting the records of infected or colonized patients so they can be promptly identified and placed on
isolation precautions
upon readmission to the hospital.
What does VRE infection look like?
If VRE are causing a wound infection, that area of your skin may be
red or tender
. If you have a urinary tract infection, you may have back pain, a burning sensation when you urinate, or a need to urinate more often than usual. Some people with VRE infections have diarrhea, feel weak and sick, or have fever and chills.
Is VRE a hospital acquired infection?
Preventing VRE and Other Hospital-Acquired Infections
Prevention of VRE, like all other hospital-acquired infections, is key. Whether you are a patient, a caregiver or a patient advocate, follow the steps to prevent a hospital-acquired infection.
What causes VRE in urine?
It is spread by
direct contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids
, such as blood, phlegm, urine, or stool, or by touching surfaces that have been contaminated by the bacteria. If you are healthy, your chances of getting sick from VRE are very low, even if you have been exposed to the bacteria.
How common is VRE?
How Common Is VRE?
An estimated 20,000 people in the United States become infected with it each year
. A little fewer than 10% of people who get it die from it. People who stay in a hospital have the highest odds of getting VRE.
Can you catch VRE from being in the same room?
VRE is usually spread from one person to another by casual contact or by touching contaminated objects. It is NOT spread through the air by coughing or sneezing. People in good health, including children, have very low risk of being infected with VRE.
They can be in the same room
and even casually touch or hug you.
What kind of precaution is needed for VRE?
Standard precautions including hand washing and gloving
should be followed. Otherwise, healthy household members are not at risk of VRE infection. Dishes and utensils can be washed in a dishwasher or with warm soapy water and rinsed.
Who is at risk for VRE?
Patients at high risk for VRE infections include those who are
undergoing complex or prolonged healthcare
(such as patients in long-term acute care hospitals or ICUs) or patients with weakened immune systems (such as patients undergoing cancer treatment or with organ transplants).
What is the incubation period of MRSA?
Bodies of people who die from MRSA infections often have viable MRSA on their surfaces, and these organisms can infect other people. The incubation period for MRSA ranges from
one to 10 days
.
What precautions is MRSA?
Use
Contact Precautions
when caring for patients with MRSA (colonized, or carrying, and infected). Contact Precautions mean: Whenever possible, patients with MRSA will have a single room or will share a room only with someone else who also has MRSA.
Why is VRE bad?
VRE is a
strain of bacteria that can cause infection
. Usually the antibiotic vancomycin is used to kill the bacteria. However, VRE is resistant to vancomycin and makes it difficult to treat. VRE most commonly causes an infection in the urinary tract, blood, or a wound.
