bioMerieux has announced the launch of the first FDA cleared chromID™ VRE, a simple and cost-effective solution in the struggle against vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).
chromID VRE is the first to receive an FDA 510(k) clearance for the qualitative detection of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis showing acquired resistance to vancomycin in stool specimens. The product can be used as an aid to identify, prevent, and control VRE colonization in healthcare settings. Infections with these drug resistant organisms produce severe adverse events in patients.(www.biomerieux-usa.com/chromid)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), VRE is spread from patient to patient via caregivers. A study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases in Oct. 2009 examined the hospital and societal costs of antimicrobial-resistant infections (ARIs) in a Chicago teaching hospital. According to the study, 31% of patients with antibiotic-resistant infections in the study had an infection due to VRE and 40 percent of these infections were healthcare associated.1 In a publication by Carmeli et al, infections with these pathogens were reported to have significant impact on patient morbidity, mortality, length of stay, and total hospital costs:
- Case fatality rate of 11% higher than normal patients
- 6.6 days greater length of stay
- $20,534 in additional hospital costs2
"We pioneered this chromogenic media for systematic and cost-efficient screening to control the spread of VRE infections, significant from both a medical and economic perspective," said Thierry Bernard, corporate vice president, Commercial Operations for bioMerieux. "As part of a comprehensive infection prevention program, chromID VRE can help institutions identify the reservoir and control the spread of these pathogenic organisms."
Source: bioMerieux
