Ever found yourself wondering how often colonization precedes infection with MDR-GNB and VRE? A new systematic review and meta-regression in Lancet ID gives us a pretty solid answer: about 14% of MDR-GNB and 8% for VRE. This information is helpful for us to qualify the significance of acquiring these organisms in healthcare settings.
Continue readingMDR-GNB
UK guidelines for the control of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria
The UK guidelines for the prevention and control of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (MDR-GNB) are published this week. It’s useful that the publication of these guidelines coincides with Antibiotic Awareness Week because MDR-GNB are brining us ever closer to the end of antibiotics. Although the guidelines don’t cover the treatment of MDR-GNB (this will be addressed in a forthcoming guideline), these highly resistant MDR-GNB leave few therapeutic options. Even when they remain susceptible to some antibiotics, these antibiotics are not front-line antibiotics for a reason (including poor tissue penetration and side effects). Furthermore, we are already seeing resistance to last-line (aka end of the golden-antibiotic-road) antibiotics e.g. colistin. Therefore, the old adage that ‘prevention is better than cure’ has never been so true!
Guidelines to control multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria: an ‘evidence-free zone’
I recently had a review published in CMI comparing EU guidelines for controlling multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (MDR-GNB). I included the following guidelines in my review: ECCMID 2014, Irish MDRO, PHE CPE, HPS CPE, ECDC systematic review on CPE (not strictly a guideline, but did include some recommendations). A couple of important points arise:
Reflections on Infection Prevention and Control 