VRE dominates the intestinal microbiota in humans prior to invading the bloodstream [11].
Stool samples from 5 patients (A–E) were studied prior to and during the transplant period. Each bar on the graph depicts the microbiota of 1 stool sample. Days the samples were collected relative to the day of transplant are indicated along the x-axis. The red horizontal bars indicate the timing of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus bloodstream infections in patients A and B.
Republished with permission of Journal of Clinical Investigation, from Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus domination of intestinal microbiota is enabled by antibiotic treatment in mice and precedes bloodstream invasion in humans, Ubeda C et al, volume 120, number 12, copyright 2010; permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.