Targeted surveillance to identify children colonized with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus in the pediatric intensive care unit

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2010 Jan;31(1):95-8. doi: 10.1086/649221.

Abstract

Performing admission surveillance cultures is a resource-intensive strategy to identify asymptomatic patients with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) colonization. We measured VRE prevalence among children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. Targeted surveillance captured 94% of VRE-colonized children and may be an effective strategy to identify VRE carriers and facilitate pediatric infection prevention strategies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Baltimore / epidemiology
  • Carrier State* / diagnosis
  • Carrier State* / epidemiology
  • Carrier State* / microbiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Culture Media
  • Enterococcus / drug effects
  • Enterococcus / isolation & purification*
  • Female
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections* / diagnosis
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections* / epidemiology
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections* / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infection Control
  • Intensive Care Units, Pediatric / statistics & numerical data*
  • Male
  • Mass Screening / methods
  • Patient Admission / statistics & numerical data
  • Population Surveillance / methods*
  • Prevalence
  • Vancomycin Resistance*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Culture Media