Rate of drug-resistant organisms in Canadian hospitals remains steady

A point prevalence survey conducted at Canadian hospitals shows that national prevalence rates for infection or colonization with antimicrobial-resistant organisms (AROs) saw little change from 2010 to 2016, according to a study today in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.

The survey of adult inpatients in Canadian hospitals with more than 50 beds was conducted in February 2016. Patients colonized or infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA), Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae, and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CREs) were included. Previous surveys had been conducted in 2010 and 2012.

In total, 160 hospitals from 9 of 10 provinces with 35,018 adults patients participated in the survey. Hospitals reported a total of 3,117 patients colonized or infected with at least one ARO, for a prevalence of 8.9 per 100 patients. Median prevalence per 100 patients was 4.1 for MRSA, 1.1 for CDI, 0.8 for VRE, 0.8 for ESBLs, and 0 for CREs. Hospitals in western Canada had the highest median prevalence of MRSA and VRE, while hospitals in central Canada had a higher median prevalence of CDI. Among the 106 hospitals that participated in all three surveys, no significant changes were detected in the prevalence of any of the AROs from 2012 to 2016.

Although CREs remained infrequently identified, they were reported from more hospitals in 2016 (15%) compared to 2012 (7%). The authors of the study also note that the true prevalence of VRE in Canadian hospitals is likely higher because routine screening for VRE on admission decreased from 94% in 2010 to 74% in 2016.

The authors say ongoing national surveillance for AROs will be important for evaluating potential changes in the epidemiology of diseases caused by these bacteria.

Source: CIDRAP

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