{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]],"date-time":"2026-07-31T02:52:13Z","timestamp":1785466333199,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,8]],"date-time":"2022-01-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1641600000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Microorganisms"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) pose a public health challenge worldwide. While VRE bloodstream infections (VREBI) increase in Germany and Europe, population-based molecular data are scarce. We aimed to analyze the molecular epidemiology, demographic aspects, and geographical distribution of VREBI in the German Federal State of North-Rhine\u2013Westphalia (NRW), located in the German\u2013Dutch\u2013Belgian border area, representing over 20% of Germany\u2019s population. VREBI isolates were collected from hospitals across NRW between 2016 and 2019. Demographic data were gathered and anonymized upon sample collection. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and identification of glycopeptide resistance were carried out. Epidemiological analysis and geographical mapping were performed. Single VREBI isolates from 755 patients were analyzed. In total, 38.9% were female, and 80.0% were aged \u2265 60 years. The VREBI incidence per 100,000 inhabitants nearly tripled, from 0.52 (2016) to 1.48 (2019), particularly in male patients aged \u2265 50 years. The proportion of vanB reached 83% (n = 202\/243) in 2018, overtaking vanA as the predominant glycopeptide resistance determinant, detected in close relation with ST117 isolates. The proportion of MLST sequence type (ST) 117 peaked in 2018, at 78.2% (n = 190\/243). The major role of these emerging strains in invasive infections in central Europe requires novel strategies for their diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms10010130","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,9]],"date-time":"2022-01-09T23:06:15Z","timestamp":1641769575000},"page":"130","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":18,"title":["Molecular Epidemiology of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci Bloodstream Infections in Germany: A Population-Based Prospective Longitudinal Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4779-2976","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carlos L.","family":"Correa-Mart\u00ednez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Hygiene, University Hospital M\u00fcnster, 48149 M\u00fcnster, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Annette","family":"Jurke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Section Infectious Disease Epidemiology, North Rhine-Westphalian Centre for Health, 44801 Bochum, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Janne","family":"Schmitz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Hygiene, University Hospital M\u00fcnster, 48149 M\u00fcnster, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Frieder","family":"Schaumburg","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital M\u00fcnster, 48149 M\u00fcnster, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5013-159X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stefanie","family":"Kampmeier","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Hygiene, University Hospital M\u00fcnster, 48149 M\u00fcnster, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0649-5185","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alexander","family":"Mellmann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Hygiene, University Hospital M\u00fcnster, 48149 M\u00fcnster, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"157","article-title":"Vancomycin-resistant enterococci","volume":"1","author":"Uttley","year":"1988","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"157","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJM198807213190307","article-title":"Plasmid-Mediated Resistance to Vancomycin and Teicoplanin in Enterococcus faecium","volume":"319","author":"Leclercq","year":"1988","journal-title":"N. 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