Molecular analysis and epidemiological typing of Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus outbreak strains.

Outbreaks of multidrug resistant bacteria including vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in healthcare institutions are increasing in Norway, despite a low level of resistance compared to other European countries. In this study, we describe epidemiological relatedness of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolated during an outbreak at a Norwegian hospital in 2012-2013. During the outbreak, 9454 fecal samples were screened for VRE by culture and/or PCR.