Mandatory Glycopeptide-Resistant Enterococci (GRE) bacteraemia surveillance
This scheme is operated by the Health Protection Agency on behalf of the Department of Health. Data are requested quarterly from each of the 170 acute NHS trusts in England by Health Protection Agency Local and Regional Services Division (LARS) and collated and analysed by the Centre for Infections.
The National Glycopeptide-Resistant Enterococcal Bacteraemia Surveillance Working Group recommended that the significance of blood cultures containing GRE should be assessed clinically. If a bacteraemia is found to be clinically significant and due to either a GRE or a GRE and other non-GRE organism(s), it should be reported as a GRE bacteraemia.
Positive blood cultures from the same patient within 14 days of the initial culture are considered to be part of the original episode and should not be reported. Duplicate reports, more than 14 days apart should be reported as these are considered to be a separate episode.
Enterococci from blood cultures should be tested for susceptibility to the antibiotic vancomycin. Teicoplanin is not an acceptable alternative to vancomycin for these purposes.
Results from the mandatory surveillance system
Commentary for GRE bacteraemia June 2009 (PDF, 162 KB)- Surveillance of Healthcare Associated Infections Report 2007
Annual counts of Glycopeptide Resistant Enterococcal Bacteraemia (October 2003 to September 2008) (Excel Spreadsheet, 130 KB)Previous publications
Results of the first year of mandatory GRE bacteraemia reporting: October 2003 - September 2004, are published on the Department of Health website and on the HPA website CDR Wkly 2005 15 (34).
