Arch Intern Med
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The roles of the contaminated hospital environment and of patient skin carriage in the spread of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are uncertain. Transfer of VRE via health care worker (HCW) hands is assumed but unproved. We sought to determine the frequency of VRE transmission from sites in the environment or on patients' intact skin to clean environmental or skin sites via contaminated hands of HCWs during routine care. ⋯ Vancomycin-resistant enterococci were transferred from contaminated sites in the environment or on patients' intact skin to clean sites via HCW hands or gloves in 10.6% of opportunities. Controlling VRE by decontaminating the environment and patients' intact skin may be an important adjunctive infection control measure.