Abstract

TSHISEVHE, V S et al. Outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Providencia rettgeri in a tertiary hospital. SAMJ, S. Afr. med. j. [online]. 2017, vol.107, n.1, pp.31-33. ISSN 2078-5135.  http://dx.doi.org/10.7196/samj.2017.v107i1.12002.

The emergence of resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents in pathogenic bacteria is a significant public health threat, as there are limited effective antimicrobial agents for infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Several MDR bacteria are now frequently detected. Carbapenem resistance in Enterobacteriaceae is often plasmid mediated, necessitating stringent infection control practices. We describe an outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Providencia rettgeri involving 4 patients admitted to intensive care and high-care units at a tertiary hospital. Clinical and demographic characteristics of 4 patients with carbapenem-resistant P. rettgeri were documented. All P. rettgeri isolated in these cases had a carbapenem-resistant antibiogram, with resistance to imipenem, ertapenem and meropenem. These cases could be epidemiologically linked. A multiprong approach, simultaneously targeting antibiotic stewardship, universal precautions and appropriate transmission-based precaution practices, is integral to prevention and control of nosocomial infections.

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