In recent years, the United States has observed a significant increase in infections caused by an extremely drug-resistant and high-risk bacterium, known as NDM-producing carpabenem-resistant Enterobacterales, or simply, NDM-CRE. According to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there has been an alarming 460% surge in these infections between 2019 and 2023.
Known for its resistance to some of the most potent antibiotics, NDM-CRE poses a formidable challenge in treatment efforts. It’s associated with severe infections, including pneumonia, bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections, and wound infections, all of which are linked to high rates of mortality and morbidity. In the year 2020 alone, this bacterium was reportedly responsible for approximately 12,700 infections and caused around 1,100 deaths in the United States.
As the instances of NDM-CRE grow, healthcare providers are increasingly facing challenges in treating some of the most severe bacterial infections. Danielle Rankin, one of the leading epidemiologists at the CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, referred to the rise in NDM-CRE as a growing threat challenging the selection of appropriate treatment tactics. Hence, it’s critical for healthcare providers to have access to effective testing tools that can help navigate the precise choice of targeted therapies.
But many healthcare providers may be unfamiliar with NDM-CRE, or they might be lacking the necessary tools for rapid testing that can pinpoint the specific resistance mechanism. The CDC highly stressed the importance of timely and accurate detection for effective treatment. Investigations into the factors contributing to this escalation in cases are currently underway, with preliminary evidence suggesting gaps in infection control practices and insufficient testing capacity across different clinical settings as primary factors.
To mitigate the spread of NDM-CRE, the CDC advised clinicians to be vigilant and adhere to standard precautions, such as stringent hand sanitation, wearing gowns and gloves while delivering patient care, and arranging for testing through clinical laboratories or public health labs wherever possible. Additionally, the CDC has issued warnings about the increasing threats from Candida auris, a drug-resistant fungus that has been listed as an urgent antimicrobial resistance threat due to its rapid spread in healthcare settings and potential to cause serious infections. Clinical cases of C. auris experienced an over 50% surge from 2022 to 2023.