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VanA rectal swab screening as a predictor of subsequent vancomycin-resistant enterococcal bloodstream infection in critically ill adults

Abstract Objective: To evaluate whether vanA rectal screening for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) predicts vancomycin resistance for patients with enterococcal bloodstream infection (BSI). Design: A retrospective cohort study. Setting: Large academic medical center. Methods: The predictive performance of a vanA rectal swab was evaluated in 161 critically ill adults with an enterococcal BSI from January 1, 2007, to September 1, 2014, and who had a vanA rectal swab screening obtained within 14 days prior to blood culture. Results: Of the patients meeting inclusion criteria, 83 (51.6%) were vanA swab positive. Rectal-swab–positive patients were more likely to be younger, to be immunocompromised, to have an indwelling central vascular catheter, and to have a history of MDR bacteria. The vanA rectal swab had sensitivity and negative predictive values of 83.6% and 85.9%, respectively, and specificity and positive predictive values of 71.3% and 67.5%, respectively, for predicting a vancomycin-resistant enterococcal BSI in critically ill adults. Conclusions: VanA rectal swabs may be useful for antimicrobial stewardship at institutions with VRE screening already in place for infection control purposes. A higher PPV would be warranted to implement a universal vanA screen on all ICU patients.