DISSECTING THE MOLECULAR BASIS FOR EMERGING ALCOHOL TOLERANCE IN VRE
Grant number: 1084015 | Funding period: 2015 - 2018
Completed
Abstract
Infections caused by vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) are a major and growing problem in health care facilities around Australia. We have observed that VREfm is becoming significantly more resistant to killing by alcohol, probably due the increasing use of alcohol-based hand wash products. This project will identify how VREfm is becoming alcohol tolerant, knowledge that will be used to develop alternative disinfection methods or other intervention strategies to stop its spread.