Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) is a bacterial family difficult to treat with high resistance rates to broad-spectrum antibiotics. Patients following up in long-term-care facilities are the most affected by CRE infections and colonization. Carbapenem resistance rates are increasing despite all precautions, and the infections caused by CRE continues with high mortality. CRE surveillance is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) related to characteristics of health care facilities, point prevalence, or active surveillance. Mechanical ventilation, urinary or intravenous catheters, and long-term antibiotic use are the main risk factors for CRE infections. Treatment options are limited with older agents and mainly depend on aminoglycosides, polymyxins, and fosfomycin. Moreover, combination therapies and high-dose regimens are the other salvage strategies. This review study examined the epidemiology, precaution strategies, and treatment for CRE infections.