Screening of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in Stool Samples in Hospitalized Patients: A Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital
Sanchi Kashyap
Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences Safai Uttar Pradesh, India.
Monika Matlani *
VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Santhosh Rajan
ESI Medical College Basai Darapur, New Delhi, India.
Divya
Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College, New Delhi, India.
Vinita Dogra
VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Infection with Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (also known as CRE) is being more recognized as a significant obstacle in healthcare settings and is a global cause for worry.
Aims: This surveillance study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in the faecal samples of inpatients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Delhi, India.
Methods: In this prospective study, which was carried out over the course of 8 months (from February 2019 to September 2019), we screened 398 Enterobacteriaceae isolates for carbapenemase from the stool samples of 353 inpatients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Delhi.
Results: Of the total of 398 Enterobacteriaceae isolates screened, 56 (14.08%) of the isolates demonstrated carbapenemase activity. The prevalence of CRE was found to be highest in E.coli (15.23%) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (13.71%).
Conclusions: Screening for the presence of CRE in the faeces of patients can serve as a helpful guide for doctors in determining whether or not a patient's gut is colonized by multidrug-resistant Enterobacterales. This is especially important in patients who are at possible endogenous infection risk. This includes patients who are undergoing any gastrointestinal surgical process, patients with haematological malignancies who are receiving chemotherapy, and patients who have had a bone marrow transplant planned for them.
Keywords: Carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae, carbapenem, carbapenemase, haematological malignancies