Mich. nursing facilities seeing more VRE, less MRSA

Since 2003, rates of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) almost tripled in nursing facilities in southeastern Michigan, according to an article on the Healio website.

At the same time, the rates of MRSA colonization have “steadily decreased,” according to findings published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.

“Infection prevention and control efforts have focused mostly on acute care, successfully reducing incidence of MRSA colonization in hospitals by 31 percent from 2005 to 2011” in the United States, the study authors said.

“Meanwhile, enterococcal infections and colonization with VRE have arisen, often with serious clinical implications, including a doubling in VRE-related hospital discharges.”

Read the article.