According to a 2022 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there has been a discernible increase in six bacterial antimicrobial-resistant hospital-onset infections compared to statistics from 2019. The study reveals an unsettling surge in antimicrobial resistant outbreaks, which the CDC believes is primarily due to the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Factors contributing to this spike include lengthier hospital stays, disrupted infection prevention measures, and an alarming rise in inappropriate antibiotic use. Given these developments, the escalated rate of antimicrobial resistant pathogen occurrence can no longer be overlooked. It has become a pressing concern for Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) as emphasized by Anurag Malani, MD, the Medical Director of Hospital Epidemiology, Antimicrobial Stewardship, and Special Pathogens at Trinity Health St. Joseph Mercy, part of Trinity Health based in Livonia, Michigan.
Dr. Malani explains the gravity of these infections, underscoring their impact on patient outcomes. Patients with these infections generally fare worse than others; their treatments are more challenging, they require longer hospitalization, thereby accruing more costs, and their health risks are elevated due to the contagious nature of antimicrobial resistant infections and the potential for them to increase mortality rates.
During the pandemic, the CDC report shows a heightened incidence in the following antimicrobial-resistant hospital-onset infections: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter, Candida auris, Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Enterobacterales, and Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Dr. Malani further emphasizes the significance of this data by pointing out the relevance of clinical implications. For instance, Candida auris, a challenging fungal infection to treat, has proliferated across Michigan hospitals. He maintains that understanding antimicrobial resistance, which is complicated due to its evolution from the cumulative practices across different healthcare settings, is critical.
Data from CDC and the agency’s National Healthcare Safety Network is vital for health systems and hospitals to understand the evolution of antimicrobial resistant pathogens, and to develop effective surveillance strategies. Combatting antimicrobial resistant infections requires a clinically robust strategy, such as the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention programs. The success of these programs relies on stringent regulatory and accreditation standards, which hospitals are required to adhere to, especially if they are accredited by entities like The Joint Commission.
Furthermore, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also mandate antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention programs in hospitals. It is now pivotal that health systems and hospitals start to consider integrating infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship practices for a more comprehensive approach to managing the threat of antimicrobial resistant infections. Nevertheless, there are challenges to such a combined strategy, as not all healthcare settings possess the required expertise, funding, or resources.
Looking ahead, Dr. Malani anticipates that antimicrobial resistance will continue to be a challenge that the healthcare sector must address, and warrants the development of wide-scale strategies to reduce it.
Source: https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/cmo/cmos-should-be-addressing-antimicrobial-resistant-pathogens