In a comprehensive study performed between January 2020 and March 2023, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) isolates were scrutinized for their microbial resistance patterns, epidemiological characteristics, and carbapenemase types. This analysis occurred in a Guangzhou teaching hospital and is aimed at helping healthcare professionals in enhancing their clinical treatment strategies against CRE and strengthen efforts to prevent and control nosocomial infections.
The investigation applied antimicrobial susceptibility testing to establish CRE’s carbapenem resistance, where the production of carbapenemase was evaluated through rapid phenotypic identification via immunochromatographic assay and PCR confirmation. The 300 CRE strains gathered in this period revealed that the highest proportion (72.7%) was Klebsiella pneumoniae, followed by Escherichia coli (12.3%) and lesser quantities of other species.
Five types of carbapenemase were detected with blaKPC-like being the most prevalent, accounting for 66.7%, trailed by blaNDM-like at 23.0%. Certain strains demonstrated more than one variety of blaKPC-like and blaNDM-like simultaneously. The majority of these strains were highly resistant to most antibiotics but exhibited high sensitivity towards tigecycline and colistin.
The key takeaway from this paper is the heightened rate of numerous antibacterial drug resistance among CRE strains, especially those regarding K. pneumoniae. Therefore, clinical practitioners must prioritize the judicious use of antibacterial drugs, and continuous efforts should be dedicated towards CRE monitoring as well as robust strategies for infection prevention and control within hospitals.
It is worth noting that carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales presents a growing global health threat due to their high level of resistance to most antimicrobials, placing patient’s lives at risk when infected. Therefore, the data from this study proves invaluable for aiding healthcare professionals in devising effective prevention, control, and treatment plans for CRE infections.