Healthcare facilities around the world grapple with the challenge of managing infections in patients who are already there for treatment. The vulnerability of such patients is particularly amplified when they acquire infections resistant to conventional drugs during their hospital stay. One such threat is Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), which has a significant impact on patients admitted to hospitals. This issue has been recently highlighted in two studies published during the World Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness Week, which took place recently from November 18 to 22, 2024.
The studies looked into the spread of Escherichia coli sequence type (ST)131 and New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 (NDM-1)-producing Providencia stuartii, which are both CRE. The researchers intended to gather data that could inform actions to curtail these threats to public health.
Kohlenberg and his team assessed genomic and epidemiological data from 17 EU/EEA countries, focusing on the emergence of E. coli that produces carbapenemases. E. coli is a widely renown pathogen associated with most deaths linked to antimicrobial resistance. The type they investigated, ST 131, has been detected around the world and is often associated with multidrug-resistance. They analyzed data from about 600 E. coli ST131 isolates provided by national reference laboratories from multiple European countries. It was noted that detection of E. coli ST131 isolates producing carbapenemases has been increasing over time, and a significant number were associated with community-acquired urinary tract infections.
The other study centered on one type of CRE – NDM-1-producing Providencia stuartii – which until now has been very rare in Europe but has recently been detected in several Romanian hospitals. Linkevicius and his team analyzed 74 P. stuartii samples from six hospitals across Romania, most of which were associated with hospital-acquired patient infections such as lower respiratory tract bloodstream or urinary tract infections. The investigation led to the identification of four multi-hospital clusters of such resistant isolates detected over a year, suggesting a sustained transmission within the Romanian healthcare system.
The results of these studies highlight a growing problem and call for immediate attention on enhancing infection prevention and control measures in healthcare settings. As these antibiotic-resistant infections become more common, the healthcare professionals must continue to evolve their strategies to protect vulnerable patients.