VRE was not reported in U.S. hospitals until 1989. Data reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during 2004 showed that VRE caused about 1 of every 3 infections in hospital intensive care units.

Most VRE infections can be treated with antibiotics other than vancomycin. The treatment of VRE is determined by laboratory testing to determine which antibiotics are effective. For persons who get VRE infections and have urinary catheters, removal of the catheter when it is no longer needed can help getting rid of the infection. People who are colonized (bacteria are present, but have no symptoms of an infection) with VRE do not usually need treatment.

VRE is usually passed to others by direct contact with stool, urine or blood containing VRE. It can also be spread indirectly via the hands of healthcare providers or on contaminated environmental surfaces. VRE usually is not spread through casual contact such as touching or hugging. VRE is not spread through the air by coughing or sneezing.

VRE stands for Virtual Real Estate. More specifically, a VRE is an internet business that conducts sales activities through a website.

Enteroccocci are bacteria that are normally present in the human intestines and in the female genital tract and are often found in the environment. These bacteria can sometimes cause infections. Vancomycin is an antibiotic that is often used to treat infections caused by enterococci. In some instances, enterococci have become resistant to this drug and thus are called vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). Most VRE infections occur in hospitals.

If you or someone in your household has VRE, the following are some measures to prevent spread of VRE: Always wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom and before preparing food. Clean your hands after close contact with persons who have VRE. Wash with soap and water (particularly when visibly soiled) or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner. Frequently clean areas of your home such as your bathroom that may become contaminated with VRE.

Enterococci are resistant to many antibiotics. Enterococci that are resistant to vancomycin are referred to as vancomycin-resistant enterococci or VRE.

VRE can live in the human intestines and female genital tract without causing disease. However, sometimes, it can be the cause of urinary track infections, blood stream infections and wound infections.

Persons who have been previously treated with vancomycin and combinations of other antibiotics such as penicillin and gentamicin Persons who are hospitalized, particularly when they receive antibiotic treatment for long periods of time Persons with weakened immune systems such as patients in Intensive Care Units, or in cancer or transplant wards Persons with medical devices that stay in for some time such as urinary catheters or central intravenous catheters.

In 1999, there were 58,476 deaths due to heart disease in California. This was 26 percent of the total number of deaths from all causes.

Precautions are needed to prevent the spread of VRE to other patients. Procedures may vary from one facility to another, but these usually include the following: The VRE-positive patient is placed in a private room. If a private room is not available and appropriate criteria are met, a VRE-positive patient may share a room with another VRE-positive patient. Signs/information are placed on the door of the patient’s room to alert caregivers and visitors about the necessary precautions.

Before the patient leaves the hospital or other health facility, be sure to ask the nurse or doctor about what precautions should be taken at home. You may also contact the local or state health department to find out if they have additional information. Wash hands for 10 to 15 seconds with soap and water after giving care to the patient, removing gloves, handling soiled or contaminated items (e.g., dressings, clothing, bedding, tissues), or skin contact with blood or body fluids.

This document has been prepared for educational purposes by Maxine Armstrong, RN, BASc. Should you have questions regarding individual health concerns or health care practices, please consult your physician or health care provider directly.

Vancomycin resistant enterococcus or VRE for short. Enterococcus is a germ that normally lives in most peoples’ bowels. VRE is the same bacteria, but it is a strain that has developed resistance to many commonly used antibiotics, specifically an antibiotic called Vancomycin.

The only way to tell if you have VRE is if your doctor orders a sample of your blood, urine or faces to be sent to a laboratory for testing.

There are many types of germs that are normally found on our body. These normal germs do not harm us and are needed to keep our body healthy. Sometimes when people get sick, the normal germs can become harmful since the body is weakened from illness. VRE could cause infections in very sick patients.

People who are in or who have been in the hospital can get VRE. It is easily spread by contact with the hands and contaminated environments. Caregivers can unknowingly transmit the germ during routine activities and procedures between patients.

There are very few antibiotics which can be used to treat VRE infections. Therefore it is very important to use prevention strategies to minimize the number of people who become colonized with the organisms, and consequently the number of susceptible patients who may become infected. Infection Control practices and controlled use of antibiotics are approaches used to minimize the prevalence of VRE.

VRE is often resistant to commonly prescribed antibiotics. Patients with a VRE infection may need to be cared for by an Infectious Disease Physician so they get the right treatment and antibiotics.

The problem is over-pronation: therefore the patient should be fitted with custom orthotics and proper footwear. Recovery can be expected to occur over a period of months. Orthotics will not cause the physical deformity to regress, but will arrest any further progression and likely stop the pain. It is important to note that when the bunion is severe and requires surgery, the bunion can be corrected, but will re-develop unless the root cause of over-pronation is corrected.

many as 1 in 150 children are autistic, according to the Centers for Disease Control. That adds up to almost 1.5 million people in the United States. Also, government statistics suggest the rate of autism is rising 10-17 percent annually. Unfortunately, the numbers appear to be continuing their upward climb.

Very common. One in six New Zealanders will experience depression at some time in their lives. It is most common in 16-24 year olds, but can happen at any age.

The most common allergens include dust mites, molds, pollens, animal dander, cockroaches, peanuts, milk, eggs, latex, and penicillin. The dust mite is the most common cause of allergies.

Stoke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the number one cause of disability, with more than 3,000,000 people currently living with physical and mental impairment from brain damage caused by stroke. On average, someone in the United States suffers a stroke every 53 seconds and every 3.3 minutes someone dies of one.

STDs are very common in the United States. With more than 12 million people in the U.S. infected each year, at least 1 person in 4 will be infected with a STD at some point in his or her life. In the United States, there is approximately 4 million new chlamydia infections a year, over 40 million people have herpes and 30 million have genital warts.

society has attached a stigma to the discussion of bowels and bowel habits, many people seem embarrassed or unwilling to discuss what is a comparatively common disease.

Contrary to popular belief, Legionnaire's disease is a common disease. There are estimated 25,000 deaths per year in the U.S. from it. Most cases are never diagnosed as being Legionnaire's disease, but are simply recognized as a case of pneumonia. Another common misconception is that anyone and everyone is at risk. Legionnaire's disease is an "opportunistic infection", meaning that it attacks individuals who are already ill or in generally poor health.