Prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci environmental contamination in nursing homes correlates with patient functional status and gut microbiota profile. Bacteria

Environmental contamination with antibiotic-resistant organisms (AROs) increases potential for ARO transmission. We show that the spread of vancomycin-resistant enterococci between nursing home patients and high-touch in-room environmental surfaces can be impacted by patient functional independence and gut microbiota disruption, suggesting that these patient-level factors may be targets for interrupting transmission.