Zero prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci among Swedish preschool children.

Objectives: Enterococci are a natural part of the bacterial flora of humans, animals, and insects and are frequently found in the community. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have emerged as a growing problem, associated with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of VRE among healthy Swedish preschool children and ascertain whether they constitute a reservoir for the bacteria.

Methods: In total, 313 individual diapers were collected from preschools in Uppsala, Sweden. Fecal samples were screened by analyzing the color change in a broth followed by polymerase chain reaction for vanA and vanB genes, which are associated with vancomycin resistance.

Results: Neither vanA nor vanB genes could be detected from the samples.

Conclusions: Preschool children in Uppsala do not constitute a reservoir for VRE. The zero prevalence is consistent with the overall decline in VRE prevalence in Sweden during the last years.