A retrospective evaluation of 321 consecutive recipients of high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) was conducted to ascertain the incidence and outcome of vancomycin-resistant enterococcal (VRE) bacteremia. Ten patients developed VRE bacteremia at a median of 6 days following PBSCT. Nine isolates were Enterococcus faecium and one was E. faecalis. The median duration of bacteremia was 5 days. The central venous catheter was removed in seven individuals. Nine patients were treated with a variety of antimicrobial agents including quinupristin-dalfopristin, chloramphenicol, doxycycline, oral bacitracin, co-trimoxazole, and nitrofurantoin. Bacteremia resolved without adverse sequelae in seven patients. Two individuals who died of other causes had persistent or relapsed bacteremia at the time of death. An additional patient suffered multiple relapses of VRE bacteremia and died as a result of VRE endocarditis 605 days following PBSCT. Mortality as a direct result of VRE bacteremia was 10% in this series. The optimal type and duration of treatment of VRE bacteremia has not been clearly defined. Therefore, we perform weekly stool surveillance cultures for VRE in our hospitalized transplant population and apply strict barrier precautions in those individuals in whom stool colonization has been identified. Furthermore, the empiric use of vancomycin has been restricted. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2000) 25, 147-152.