Epidemiological Study of Hospital-Acquired Infection With Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium Possible Transmission by an Electronic Ear-Probe Thermometer | Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology | Cambridge Core (original) (raw)

Abstract

Clonal spread of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium among seven patients on one ward of a community teaching hospital was identified by contour-clamped homo-geneous electric-field gel electrophoresis. Environmental cultures isolated the same strain from the handle of a shared electronic ear-probe thermometer. Cross-contamination of the clonal strain between two geographically separate units on this ward, sharing equipment but not personnel, suggests the possibility of an environmental source.

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