Infections with multidrug-resistant organisms among patients in intensive care units (ICUs) are associated with high mortality. Among multidrug-resistant organisms, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) harbor important pathogens for healthcare-associated infections, including pneumonia, bacteremia, and urinary tract infections. Risk factors for CRE colonization include underlying comorbid conditions, prior antibiotics exposure, prior use of healthcare facilities, device use, and longer ICU stay. The mortality rate due to invasive CRE infection is 22%–49%, and CRE colonization is associated with an approximately 10-fold increased risk of CRE infection. Infection control measures include hand hygiene, contact precautions, minimizing the use of devices, and environmental control. Additionally, implementing active surveillance of CRE carriage should be considered in ICU settings.
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Background Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) with acquired metallo β-lactamase (MBL) resistance have been increasingly reported worldwide and associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Here, an outbreak of genetically related strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae producing the imipenemase (IMP)-1 MBL in a medical intensive care unit (MICU) in Korea is reported.
Methods Since isolating carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP) at the MICU of the hospital on August 10, 2011, surveillance cultures for CRE in 31 hospitalized patients were performed from August to September 2011. Carbapenem resistance was determined based on the disk diffusion method outlined in the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for genes coding for β-lactamase. Associations among isolates were assessed via pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). In addition, a surveillance study of environmental cultures and health-care workers (HCWs) was conducted in the MICU during the same time frame.
Results During the study period, non-duplicated CRKP specimens were discovered in four patients in the MICU, suggestive of an outbreak. On August 10, 2011, CRKP was isolated from the sputum of a 79-year-old male patient who was admitted to the MICU. A surveillance study to detect additional CRE carriers by rectal swab revealed an additional three CRKP isolates. PCR and sequencing of the four isolates identified the presence of the IMP-1 gene. In addition, PFGE showed that the four isolated strains were genetically related. CRE was not identified in specimens taken from the hands of HCWs or other environmental sources during surveillance following the outbreak. Transmission of the carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae strain was controlled by isolation of the patients and strict contact precautions.
Conclusions This study shows that rapid and systemic detection of CRE and strict infection controls are important steps in preventing nosocomial transmission.
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BACKGROUND This study was conducted to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of mechanically ventilated patients with carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) isolates from tracheal secretions in a medical intensive care unit (ICU) of a university hospital. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study from January 2009 to June 2012. RESULTS Among the patients who had isolates cultured from tracheal secretions, 130 patients (34.8%) had CRAB isolates.
Their mean age was 65 +/- 14 yr and 74.6% were male. The ICU and hospital mortality was 51.5% and 60.0%, respectively.
According to physician's clinical decision, antibiotics were changed in order to cover CRAB in 75 (57.7%) patients. The total duration of antibiotics use was 12.2 +/- 8.1 days. Of patients with antibiotics change to cover CRAB, 70 patients (93.3%) had Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score of 6 and over. However, there was no significant difference in hospital mortality between patients with antibiotics change against CRAB and those without change. In multivariable analysis, only Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score was related to hospital mortality of patients with CRAB. CONCLUSIONS In this study, changing antibiotics to cover CRAB by physician's clinical decision only did not influence hospital mortality; further studies would be necessary to investigate how to use antibiotics against CRAB isolates cultured from tracheal secretions.