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Clinical Update: Protecting Healthcare
Workers from VRE Infection
(May 2001)
An article published in the March 2001 issue of "Clinical Infectious Diseases" describes a study conducted at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago. The study assessed the effectiveness of routine gloving in preventing hand contamination with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus species (VRE) by healthcare workers during patient care activities. The study concludes that "...the rate of transmission of VRE to healthcare workers is very high. Gloving can reduce acquisition of VRE on the hands, and it should be considered as part of routine inpatient care, even for care that involves contact with the intact skin of patients who may be colonized with VRE. However, gloving does not completely prevent contamination of healthcare workers' hands, and handwashing or 'de-germing' is necessary after glove removal."
Source: Tenorio AR et al. 2001. Effectiveness of gloves in the prevention of hand carriage of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus species by health care workers after patient care. "Clinical Infectious Diseases" 32(5): 826?829.
For more information on infection prevention programs at JHPIEGO, contact Linda Tietjen.