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Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales at a quaternary public hospital in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal: Ascertaining the clinical and molecular paradigm shift following COVID-19

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: BackgroundExtensive carbapenem use has resulted in an increasing occurrence of difficult-to-treat resistant gramnegative bacteria (DTR-GNB), such as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CREs).The international antimicrobial resistance (AMR) landscape was profoundly impacted due to varying antibiotic prescribing practices following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).The resultant evolution in multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) trends underscored this study's aim in establishing the COV-ID-19 pandemic's influence on the prevalence, molecular characterisation, and clinical outcome of CRE infections at a South African quaternary public hospital. MethodsDemographics, microorganism identification, antibiograms, and patient outcomes with associated factors were extracted retrospectively from electronic records at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH).Carbapenemase-encoding genes from CRE isolates were prospectively identified by conventional multiplex polymerase chain reaction.Comparisons between the pre-COVID-19 (01 January 2018 to 05 March 2020) and post-COVID-19 (06 March 2020 to 31 May 2023) periods were conducted.

Source: International Journal of Clinical Microbiology

DOI: 10.14302/issn.2690-4721.ijcm-26-6425

Authors: Nitesh Brijlal, Sandra Lihle Maphumulo, Ravesh Singh, Khine Swe Swe-Han

Institutions: National Health Laboratory Service, University of KwaZulu-Natal

Language: English

Topic: Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria

Subfield: Microbiology (medical)

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: National Health Laboratory Service