{"id":34010,"date":"2025-12-09T15:27:30","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T20:27:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/haiar\/?page_id=34010"},"modified":"2026-01-13T16:04:28","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T21:04:28","slug":"mdros","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/haiar\/mdros\/","title":{"rendered":"Multidrug-Resistant Organisms (MDROs)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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On this page<\/strong>: Background<\/a> | Educational Resources<\/a> | Setting-Specific Resources<\/a> | Patient Resources<\/a> | Data & Reporting<\/a> | Laboratory Testing<\/a> | Collaborations<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Background<\/h2>\n

MDROs are germs that are difficult to treat. Many antibiotics don\u2019t work well against them. Common types of MDROs are <\/span>methicillin-resistant <\/span>Staphylococcus aureus <\/span><\/i>(MRSA), vancomycin-resistant <\/span>Enterococcus<\/span><\/i> (VRE), <\/span>extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), carbapenem-resistant <\/span>Acinetobacter baumannii<\/span><\/i>, and carbapenem-resistant <\/span>Pseudomonas aeruginosa<\/span><\/i>.<\/span> To learn more about how these germs become resistant, visit the CDC Antibiotic Resistance website<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

MDRO germs are usually spread by direct contact with infected people, especially through wounds or stool. They can cause infections if they enter the body, often through medical devices like ventilators, IVs, urinary catheters, or wounds from injuries or surgery. To prevent these infections, it\u2019s important to follow safety rules, use the right cleaning products, and make sure staff follow infection control practices.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Public Health Response:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

VDH works with healthcare facilities to target and slow the spread of certain dangerous <\/span>MDROs (called targeted MDROs) like <\/span>Candida auris<\/span><\/i><\/a> and <\/span>carbapenem-resistant organisms (CROs)<\/span><\/a> that produce carbapenemase (called carbapenem-producing organisms or CPOs)<\/span>. <\/span>VDH follows the <\/span>CDC Guidance for a Public Health Response to Contain Novel or Targeted MDROs<\/span><\/a>. Facilities should collaborate with their <\/span>local health department<\/span><\/a> on response efforts.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Educational Resources<\/h3>\n

Refer to the C. auris<\/em><\/a> and Carbapenem-Resistant Organisms<\/a> (CRO) web pages for educational resources specific to these germs. Other MDRO and infection prevention and control (IPC) resources can be found below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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