Low faecal carrier rate of vancomycin resistant enterococci in Norwegian hospital patients

The faecal carrier rate of vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) was surve yed among 616 patients in selected departments of 7 Norwegian hospitals. On e Enterococcus gallinarum isolate harbouring a vanB2 element mas recovered from a child with malignant disease treated with vancomycin and ceftazidime . No vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecalis or Enterococcus faecium wer e detected and no VRE isolates of the VanA type mere identified, The low le vel of VRE carriage corresponds to the limited use of glycopeptide antibiot ics for human therapeutic purposes in Norway. It indicates a low risk of ac quiring VRE infections in Norwegian hospitals.