Xpert vanA/vanB

Effective prevention of healthcare-associated VRE infections begins with active surveillance programs that facilitate timely interventions to decrease the spread of VRE. Cepheid's Xpert^®vanA/vanB delivers on-demand results in less than an hour, reducing the window for potential transmissions from days to minutes. Rapid intervention can prevent VRE transmissions - improving patient care and reducing costs for healthcare facilities.

Runs On: GeneXpert^® System

VRE: A growing concern

The European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System indicates that infection rates with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are increasing, particularly in countries with high MRSA prevalence.

• The proportion of invasive vancomycin resistant E. faecium isolates reached 37% in Greece, 33% in Ireland, 29% in Portugal, 21% in the UK and 15% in Germany
• The percentage of invasive vancomycin resistant E. faecalis was found to be more than 6% in Greece and more than 2% in Portugal, Ireland and the UK

Recommendations:

CDC, SHEA and WHO have put forward the following guidelines on how to reduce VRE infections:

• Comprehensive surveillance for targeted Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms; especially for those at high risk
• Judicious use of antibiotics
• Application of infection control precautions during patient care
• Education and training of healthcare personnel
• Environmental cleanliness
• Decolonization therapy when appropriate

Important healthcare benefits of rapid screening:

• Allows for an immediate identification of VRE carriers from non-carriers
• Rapid implementation of barrier precautions
• Early identification improves patient bed management