Researchers from Maryland’s Multi-Drug Resistant Organism Prevention Collaborative have reported that two serious pathogens, Acinetobacter baumannii and Candida auris, are prevalent among patients receiving mechanical ventilation in both acute and long-term care facilities, with the latter showing a significantly higher occurrence. This study was presented during IDWeek’s annual meeting by Anthony Harris, MD, MPH, of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and concurrently published in JAMA.
The study drew on data from 482 mechanically ventilated patients, finding A. baumannii in 30.7% of samples, of which 59.5% were carbapenem-resistant strains. In addition, C. auris was discovered in 6.6% of patients. Notably, patients in long-term care facilities showed a higher risk of colonization by these pathogens, a phenomenon contributed to several factors such as prolonged stays, frequent transfers, or disparate infection prevention practices between acute and long-term care settings.
Both A. baumannii and C. auris are categorized as ‘urgent’ by the CDC due to their resistance to the majority of effective antimicrobials, making patient surveillance crucial to prevent further spread and to guide appropriate treatment strategies. Harris’ team advocates for more expansive studies targeting long-term facilities across other states and stressed the need for further research into burden decolonization treatments.
Though the study saw an excellent participation rate, it is limited by its sole focus on ventilated patients and site-specific surveillance cultures, leaving some potential for underestimation of colonization rates. The study’s insights call for an increased commitment to surveillance and coordination in tackling these significant antibiotic-resistant threats.
Source: https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/idweek/106755