Is vre deadly?

We all know how deadly bacteria can be. From the life-threatening MRSA to the pesky staph infections, it’s clear that these tiny organisms can do some damage. But what about VRE? Is it as deadly as some of its more well-known cousins?

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at VRE, its symptoms and treatments, and whether or not you should be worried about this particular bacterial infection.

What is VRE?

When most people think of bacteria, they likely imagine small single-celled organisms swarming around in petri dishes. And while that might be accurate from a scientific standpoint, it doesn’t exactly paint an accurate picture of what bacteria actually do in our bodies.

VRE stands for vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (1) , which is essentially just a fancy way of saying “a type of bacteria that can resist certain antibiotics.” It typically lives harmlessly within our gastrointestinal system but can become dangerous if it makes its way into other parts of the body such as the bloodstream or urinary tract (2) .

How Does Someone Get Infected With VRE?

Like many bacterial infections/pathogens/transmissible diseases (take your pick), infection with Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus spp has potential routes:
– Through contact with contaminated surfaces
– Being treated in healthcare settings
– Receiving medications through injections

But there are different strains– please refer to Table 1 below:

Table 1

Strain Code Classification
Molecular typing Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE)
Molecular Typing Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST)

It’s important to note though that while anyone can get infected by coming into contact with contaminated surfaces like door handles or medical devices etc. (3) , people most vulnerable to VRE infection are those with weakened immune systems or who have recently undergone medical procedures.

What Are The Symptoms of VRE?

Now, about the symptoms. Unfortunately, they’re not all that different from many other bacterial infections. Symptoms can include things like:
– Chills
– Fever
– Nausea
– Diarrhea

In severe cases, though, it’s possible for VRE to infect patients’ bloodstreams and cause sepsis, which is a potentially life-threatening condition characterized by significantly decreased blood pressure caused by an aggressive systemic inflammatory response (4) .

Overall though If you notice any of these symptoms — especially if you’ve recently been in a hospital or another healthcare setting– then it’s important to get checked out as soon as possible so that doctors can run tests and determine whether or not your symptoms might be due to an infection with enterococcus.

How Is VRE Treated?

If you test positive for VRE while at the hospital (or wherever else) there are some things they’ll do right off hand.
First thing on this list would probably be moving you somewhere else– preferably isolation rooms/closets etcetera well away from clean areas where bacteria could thrive sarcasm . And thus begins treatment depending on how sick one is/isn’t:
Symptomatic individuals may start taking antibiotics aimed at organisms related/strongly associated with Enterococcus faecium/faecalis while critical cases may require oxygen therapy/ventilatory support ,(disinfectants too obviously)

Note however: There has been growing concern over antibiotic resistance over time therefore prescribing antibiotics must take care following correct regulations.

How Deadly is Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus spp.?

Because bacteremia/sepsis– major complications stemming from vancomycin-resistant enterococcus – often results continued hospitalization, it’s difficult to say the exact rate of VRE-associated deaths. In literature however according studies performed here are some possible fatality rates:

  • Some studies report that patients with vancomycin-resistant enterococcus bacteremia have a mortality rate greater than 50% (5).

-Another study had lower numbers – this research estimates invasive Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus spp infections carry a case-fatality ratio of around 15%. It was also discovered in said investigation that such morbidity/mortality related to this infection is linked inversely proportional/strongly associated with age (6).

It doesn’t matter as much though if mortality rates are high or low since individuals should stay protected by maintaining high levels of hygiene e.g washing hands often and thoroughly, disinfecting home surfaces properly etc.

Conclusion:

Though infections from vancomycin-resistant enterococcus can be wildy discomforting at best or deadly at worst; you do not necessarily need to walk around in gloves or resort to regularly using surgical masks everywhere– simply being cautious like frequently washing one’s hands would go miles in protecting oneself from potentially contracting antibiotic-resistance diseases #Goodluck!

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