Antimicrobial Surveillance Program Research Articles

A molecular and phenotypic analysis of the prevalence and patterns of antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from Kwazulu Natal, South Africa

Antimicrobial drug resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been documented worldwide; however, the situation in Sub-Saharan Africa has received little attention. It is critical to establish diagnostics and extend surveillance to prevent the emergence of illnesses resistant to multiple treatments. Monitoring antimicrobial susceptibility is crucial to gather data that can inform treatment recommendations, resulting in effective therapy, reduced gonorrhea-related complications and transmission, and efficient treatment. Government authorities may set research and preventive objectives, as well as treatment recommendations, using data from the Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Program (GISP). Local and state health authorities may use GISP data to make decisions about the allocation of STI prevention services and resources, to guide preventive planning, and to disseminate information about the most successful treatment practices. Using molecular and culture approaches, we investigated the occurrence of antibiotic resistance in isolates from KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. The majority of gonococcal isolates (48 %) showed absolute resistance to ciprofloxacin, with penicillin and tetracycline resistance rates of 14 % each. Only one gonococcal isolate tested positive for azithromycin resistance, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1.5 µg/mL. Ceftriaxone was effective against all gonococcal isolates tested.

Health Policy Analysis on the Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in India: A Mixed Methods Study of Antimicrobial Stewardship as a Pivotal Intervention in Tackling AMR

Objective: This policy report aimed at two goals, that is, to report the findings of the literature review and explore the perceptions of the key stakeholders in seeking better insight into the antimicrobial stewardship program (AMSP), and to develop antimicrobial resistance (AMR) policy recommendations for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), India, based on the findings from the rapid systematic review of the literature (both published and grey) and the views of key stakeholders. Methods: A mixed method approach using literature review and qualitative interviews has been applied. A rapid systematic literature review focusing on the antimicrobial stewardship pro-gram’s key achievements and its implementation and impact, implementation challenges, gaps and barriers, and opportunities, has been carried out, which has been followed by conducting interviews of key stakeholders and reporting the findings along with the recommendations. Results: The findings have shown significant progress towards AMSP, such as expanding to 90 secondary-level hospitals and district-level hospitals/nursing homes, and the Indian Council of Medical Research antimicrobial resistance surveillance and research network (ICMR AMRSN) program. Education, training, and microbiological testing have been found to be the current focus areas. However, there exist challenges, including a lack of leadership support, diagnostic stew-ardship, and staffing of clinical pharmacists and infectious control nurses. Key gaps and barriers identified include setting up microbiology laboratories and hiring ICN nurses and clinical phar-macists. Opportunities have also been identified. Based on these findings, we have made succinct recommendations to address the themes and issues identified. Conclusion: Without new medicines, India will struggle to manage antimicrobial resistance. This situation calls for national oversight. This study has demonstrated AMSP as crucial for fighting this silent pandemic. The Indian government and policymakers must swiftly address critical chal-lenges, gaps, and opportunities. These findings and recommendations might potentially strengthen the future antimicrobial resistance national action plan (AMR NAP).

Characterization of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates obtained from the middle ear fluid of US children, 2011-2021.

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), including higher valency vaccines such as PCV20, have the potential to reduce pediatric otitis media. We assessed serotype distribution, potential PCV coverage, and antimicrobial susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates cultured from middle ear fluid (MEF) of US children age ≤5 years. S. pneumoniae isolates identified from US hospitals participating in the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance program from 2011 to 2021 were included. Serotypes were determined by in silico analysis based on Pneumococcal Capsular Typing methodology. The percentage of isolates belonging to serotypes included in PCV13 (serotypes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, 23F), PCV15 (PCV13 plus 22F, 33F), and PCV20 (PCV13 plus, 8, 10A, 11A, 12F, 15B, 22F and 33F) was calculated. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by broth microdilution and interpreted using CLSI criteria. Nonsusceptibility was defined as isolates that were intermediate or resistant to a selected antimicrobial. Among the 199 S. pneumoniae isolates that were identified, 56.8% were from children age <2 years. Six serotypes accounted for around 60% of isolates: 35B (16.6%), 15B (14.6%), 15A (7.5%), 19A (7.5%), 19F (7.5%), and 3 (7.0%). Serotypes included in PCV13, PCV15, and PCV20 accounted for 23.1%, 30.2%, and 54.8% of isolates, respectively. Overall, 45.2% of isolates were penicillin non-susceptible, and 13.6% were MDR, of which 48% were serotype 19A. Seven serotypes (19A, 15A, 15B, 15C, 23A, 33F, and 35B) accounted for the majority of non-susceptible isolates. PCVs, particularly PCV20, may prevent a substantial fraction of S. pneumoniae otitis media (OM), including OM due to non-susceptible serotypes. The addition of serotypes 15A, 23A, and 35B would improve coverage against susceptible and non-susceptible pneumococcal OM.

In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Taurolidine against Isolates Associated with Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections

Background: Taurolidine exhibits broad antimicrobial activity and is a component of a recently FDA approved catheter lock solution (DefenCath®, taurolidine 13,500 μg/mL and heparin 1000 Units/mL) indicated for reducing the risk of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) in adult patients receiving chronic hemodialysis through a central venous catheter (HD-CVC). FDA approval was based on a Phase 3 randomized trial (LOCK-IT-100) in which DefenCath showed a 71% reduction in CRBSI risk among HD-CVC patients as compared with heparin alone. Although individual isolates from the clinical program were not available for testing, this study evaluated the in vitro antimicrobial activity of taurolidine against a set of recent clinical isolates representative of those recovered from the LOCK-IT-100 trial and/or those commonly associated with CRBSI. Methods: 420 bacterial and 50 yeast isolates were selected from the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program. All isolates were collected from the bloodstream of patients in the U.S. between 2018-2023. Isolates were tested for susceptibility to taurolidine and comparators using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) broth microdilution guidelines. JMI Laboratories produced susceptibility test panels for testing. CLSI-recommended quality control strains were also tested concurrently. MIC values were determined after 24 hours. Results: Taurolidine exhibited broad antimicrobial activity against all isolates tested (see table). Against gram-positive bacteria, taurolidine MIC50/90 values ranged from 256-512/512-1,024 μg/mL for S. aureus, Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, Enterococcus species, and Viridans group streptococci. This activity was maintained regardless of methicillin susceptibility for Staphylococcal isolates or vancomycin resistance among Enterococcal species. Against gram-negative bacteria, taurolidine MIC50/90 values ranged from 256-1,024/512-2,048 μg/mL for Enterobacterales, P. aeruginosa, S. maltophilia, A. baumannii-calcoaceticus, and B. cepacia. This activity was maintained in both multidrug resistant Enterobacterales and P. aeruginosa isolates. Among Candida isolates, taurolidine MIC50/90 values ranged from 256-512/512 μg/mL for C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis while taurolidine MIC50/90 values of 4,096/4,096 μg/mL were observed for C. albicans. Conclusions: Taurolidine activity was very similar among a large collection of gram-positive, gram-negative, and yeast organisms. MIC90 values for all species/groups were ≤2,048 μg/mL, except C. albicans where an MIC90 of 4,096 μg/mL was observed. The activity of taurolidine was unaffected by resistance to antibiotics (i.e. methicillin, vancomycin, or multi-drug resistance) among gram-positive or gram-negative organisms. Based on these data, catheter lock solutions containing the broad-spectrum antimicrobial taurolidine at 13,500 μg/mL have the potential to prevent CRBSI caused by a variety of species, including those observed in the recent LOCK-IT-100 clinical trial and other common bloodstream pathogens

The novel 2024 WHO Neisseria gonorrhoeae reference strains for global quality assurance of laboratory investigations and superseded WHO N. gonorrhoeae reference strains-phenotypic, genetic and reference genome characterization.

MDR and XDR Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains remain major public health concerns internationally, and quality-assured global gonococcal antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance is imperative. The WHO global Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (GASP) and WHO Enhanced GASP (EGASP), including metadata and WGS, are expanding internationally. We present the phenotypic, genetic and reference genome characteristics of the 2024 WHO gonococcal reference strains (n = 15) for quality assurance worldwide. All superseded WHO gonococcal reference strains (n = 14) were identically characterized. The 2024 WHO reference strains include 11 of the 2016 WHO reference strains, which were further characterized, and four novel strains. The superseded WHO reference strains include 11 WHO reference strains previously unpublished. All strains were characterized phenotypically and genomically (single-molecule PacBio or Oxford Nanopore and Illumina sequencing). The 2024 WHO reference strains represent all available susceptible and resistant phenotypes and genotypes for antimicrobials currently and previously used (n = 22), or considered for future use (n = 3) in gonorrhoea treatment. The novel WHO strains include internationally spreading ceftriaxone resistance, ceftriaxone resistance due to new penA mutations, ceftriaxone plus high-level azithromycin resistance and azithromycin resistance due to mosaic MtrRCDE efflux pump. AMR, serogroup, prolyliminopeptidase, genetic AMR determinants, plasmid types, molecular epidemiological types and reference genome characteristics are presented for all strains. The 2024 WHO gonococcal reference strains are recommended for internal and external quality assurance in laboratory examinations, especially in the WHO GASP, EGASP and other GASPs, but also in phenotypic and molecular diagnostics, AMR prediction, pharmacodynamics, epidemiology, research and as complete reference genomes in WGS analysis.

Optimizing Antibiotic Therapy for Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Infections in Critically Ill Patients: A Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Approach.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an opportunistic, multidrug-resistant non-fermentative Gram-negative bacillus, posing a significant challenge in clinical treatment due to its numerous intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms. This study aimed to evaluate the adequacy of antibiotics used for the treatment of S. maltophilia infections in critically ill patients using a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) approach. The antibiotics studied included cotrimoxazole, levofloxacin, minocycline, tigecycline, cefiderocol, and the new combination aztreonam/avibactam, which is not yet approved. By Monte Carlo simulations, the probability of target attainment (PTA), the PK/PD breakpoints, and the cumulative fraction of response (CFR) were estimated. PK parameters and MIC distributions were sourced from the literature, the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST), and the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program collection. Cefiderocol 2 g q8h, minocycline 200 mg q12h, tigecycline 100 mg q12h, and aztreonam/avibactam 1500/500 mg q6h were the best options to treat empirically infections due to S. maltophilia. Cotrimoxazole provided a higher probability of treatment success for the U.S. isolates than for European isolates. For all antibiotics, discrepancies between the PK/PD breakpoints and the clinical breakpoints defined by EUCAST (or the ECOFF) and CLSI were detected.

Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the Arabian Gulf Region Over a 12-Year Period (2010-2021).

To evaluate literature from a 12-year period (2010-2021) on the antimicrobial resistance profile of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from the Arabian Gulf countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates). An electronic literature search was conducted for articles on antimicrobial resistance in P. aeruginosa and associated phenotypes, covering the period of 1st January 2010 to 1st December 2021. Antimicrobial resistance in the Arabian Gulf was highest to meropenem (10.3-45.7%) and lowest to colistin (0.0-0.8%), among the agents tested. Annual data showed that ceftazidime resistance (Kuwait), piperacillin-tazobactam non-susceptibility (Qatar), and aztreonam, imipenem, and meropenem resistance (Saudi Arabia) increased by 12-17%. Multiple mechanisms of carbapenem resistance were identified and multiple clones were detected, including high-risk clones such as ST235. The most common carbapenemases detected were the VIM-type metallo-β-lactamases. Among P. aeruginosa in the Arabian Gulf countries, resistance to meropenem was higher than to the other agents tested, and meropenem resistance increased in Saudi Arabia during the study period. Resistance to colistin, a classic antibiotic used to treat Pseudomonas spp. infections, remained low. The VIM-type β-lactamase genes were dominant. We recommend local and regional antimicrobial resistance surveillance programs to detect the emergence of resistance genes and to monitor antimicrobial resistance trends in P. aeruginosa.

The use of new antibacterial drugs against infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria: an Italian real-world evidence study in a Lombardy hospital.

Infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are typically associated with high morbidity and mortality, especially in vulnerable individuals such as patients with prolonged hospitalizations, immunocompromised individuals, and the elderly. This study aimed to provide post-marketing surveillance results concerning the prevalence of antibiotic resistance against Gram-negative bacteria through the collaboration of a multidisciplinary team. Patients involved have been treated with new antibacterial drugs, in particular ceftazidime/avibactam (C/A), meropenem/vaborbactam (M/V), cefiderocol, and ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T). The most resistant bacterial species were Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii. Italian Drug Agency (AIFA) monitoring records for inpatients have been collected and analyzed, assessing the characteristics of the patients involved. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and drugs involved have been reported using a descriptive analytical approach. All data have been collected retrospectively from patient's medical records and entered into an electronic case report form (CRF). Among the 104 treated patients, Klebsiella spp. accounted for 50.1% of infections, Pseudomonas aeruginosa for 32.7%, Acinetobacter baumannii for 3%, and other bacterial species for 1.92% configuring polymicrobial infections. Regarding treatment outcomes, healing was achieved in 61 (58.6%) patients, 23 (22.1%) patients died, 8 (7.7%) patients discontinued empirical therapy, and 3 (2.9%) patients were lost to follow-up. Despite the introduction of new antibacterial drugs active against Gram-negative bacteria is improving the clinical scenario, it is crucial that the use of new antibacterial drugs be implemented by appropriate antimicrobial stewardship, surveillance programs, and monitoring efforts to prevent further spread of resistance. This study showed that the new antibiotics have good efficacy against MDR bacteria and cause negligible side effects.

Trend of distribution and antimicrobial resistance in uropathogens in China from the CHINET antimicrobial resistance surveillance program, a 7-year retrospective study

AbstractUrinary tract infections (UTIs) are common urological diseases that easily relapse and have led to an increasing economic and health burdens. The China Antimicrobial Surveillance Network (CHINET) system is one of the most influential antimicrobial resistance surveillance networks in China. This study analyzed antimicrobial resistance and distribution trends of uropathogens from 2015 to 2021 using the CHINET system. A total of 261,893 non-duplicate strains were collected; Gram-positive bacteria accounted for 23.8% while Gram-negative bacteria accounted for 76.2%. Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecium, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterococcus faecalis were the most common species. The resistance to vancomycin, linezolid, and teicoplanin in E. faecalis and E. faecium was less than 3%. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant strains of E. coli, K. pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii was 1.7%, 18.5%, 16.4%, and 40.3%, respectively. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii increased from 27.6% in 2015 to 43.4% in 2021. The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus decreased from 40.6% in 2015 to 22.9% in 2021. The resistance rates to most β-lactam antimicrobials, aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones in E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii isolated from ICU inpatients were significantly higher than in those isolated from outpatients and non-ICU inpatients. This study indicates that E. coli, Enterococcus, and K. pneumoniae were the most commonly isolated uropathogens in China. The bacterial species isolated and their antimicrobial resistance patterns differed in different patient populations. More attention must be paid uropathogen resistance surveillance to provide data for the rational use of antimicrobial agents.

Global epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance of Enterobacterales harbouring genes encoding OXA-48-like carbapenemases: insights from the results of the Antimicrobial Testing Leadership and Surveillance (ATLAS) programme 2018-2021.

The recent emergence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales poses a major and escalating threat to global public health. This study aimed to analyse the global distribution and antimicrobial resistance of Enterobacterales harbouring variant OXA-48-like carbapenemase-related genes. Enterobacterales isolates were collected from the Antimicrobial Testing Leadership and Surveillance (ATLAS) programme during 2018-2021. Comprehensive antimicrobial susceptibility testing and β-lactamase gene detection were also conducted, along with statistical analysis of the collected data. Among the 72 244 isolates, 1934 Enterobacterales isolates were identified to harbour blaOXA-48-like genes, predominantly Klebsiella spp. (86.9%). High rates of multidrug resistance were observed, with only ceftazidime/avibactam and tigecycline showing favourable susceptibility. A discrepancy between the genotype and phenotype of carbapenem resistance was evident: 16.8% (233 out of 1384) of the Enterobacterales isolates with blaOXA-48-like genes exhibited susceptibility to meropenem. Specifically, 37.4% (64/95) of Escherichia coli strains with blaOXA-48-like genes displayed meropenem susceptibility, while the corresponding percentages for Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter cloacae complex were 25.2% (160/1184) and 0% (0/36), respectively (P < 0.05). Geographical analysis revealed that the highest prevalence of blaOXA-48-like genes occurred in Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. The proportion of K. pneumoniae isolates harbouring blaOXA-232 increased from 23.9% in 2018 to 56.0% in 2021. By contrast, the proportion of blaOXA-48 decreased among K. pneumoniae isolates during 2018-2021. This study underscores the widespread and increasing prevalence of blaOXA-48-like genes in Enterobacterales and emphasizes the need for enhanced surveillance, improved diagnostic methods and tailored antibiotic stewardship to combat the spread of these resistant pathogens.

Antimicrobial-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Europe in 2020 compared with in 2013 and 2018: a retrospective genomic surveillance study

Regular quality-assured whole-genome sequencing linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and patient metadata is imperative to elucidate the shifting gonorrhoea epidemiology, both nationally and internationally. We aimed to examine the gonococcal population in the European Economic Area (EEA) in 2020, elucidate emerging and disappearing gonococcal lineages associated with AMR and patient metadata, compare with 2013 and 2018 whole-genome sequencing data, and explain changes in gonococcal AMR and gonorrhoea epidemiology. In this retrospective genomic surveillance study, we analysed consecutive gonococcal isolates that were collected in EEA countries through the European Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (Euro-GASP) in 2020, and made comparisons with Euro-GASP data from 2013 and 2018. All isolates had linked AMR data (based on minimum inhibitory concentration determination) and patient metadata. We performed whole-genome sequencing and molecular typing and AMR determinants were derived from quality-checked whole-genome sequencing data. Links between genomic lineages, AMR, and patient metadata were examined. 1932 gonococcal isolates collected in 2020 in 21 EEA countries were included. The majority (81·2%, 147 of 181 isolates) of azithromycin resistance (present in 9·4%, 181 of 1932) was explained by the continued expansion of the Neisseria gonorrhoeae sequence typing for antimicrobial resistance (NG-STAR) clonal complexes (CCs) 63, 168, and 213 (with mtrD/mtrR promoter mosaic 2) and the novel NG-STAR CC1031 (semi-mosaic mtrD variant 13), associated with men who have sex with men and anorectal or oropharyngeal infections. The declining cefixime resistance (0·5%, nine of 1932) and negligible ceftriaxone resistance (0·1%, one of 1932) was largely because of the progressive disappearance of NG-STAR CC90 (with mosaic penA allele), which was predominant in 2013. No known resistance determinants for novel antimicrobials (zoliflodacin, gepotidacin, and lefamulin) were found. Azithromycin-resistant clones, mainly with mtrD mosaic or semi-mosaic variants, appear to be stabilising at a relatively high level in the EEA. This mostly low-level azithromycin resistance might threaten the recommended ceftriaxone-azithromycin therapy, but the negligible ceftriaxone resistance is encouraging. The decreased genomic population diversity and increased clonality could be explained in part by the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in lower importation of novel strains into Europe. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and Örebro University Hospital.

Fourth national Japanese antimicrobial susceptibility pattern surveillance program: Bacterial isolates from patients with complicated urinary tract infections

IntroductionAntimicrobial susceptibility patterns of bacterial pathogens isolated from patients with complicated urinary tract infections were analyzed using the national surveillance data, comprising 793 bacterial strains from eight clinically relevant species. Materials and methodsData were collected for the fourth national surveillance project from July 2020 to December 2021 by the Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, the Japanese Association for Infectious Disease, and the Japanese Society of Clinical Microbiology. Surveillance was supervised with the cooperation of 43 medical institutions throughout Japan. ResultsFluoroquinolone required a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2–64 mg/L to inhibit the 330 tested Escherichia coli strains. The proportion of levofloxacin-resistant E. coli strains increased from 28.6% in 2008 to 29.6% in 2011, 38.5% in 2015, and 44.5% in 2021. The proportion of levofloxacin-resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa also increased from previous survey results, showing a continuing downward trend. Conversely, the proportion of levofloxacin-resistant strains of Enterococcus faecalis decreased relative to previous reports. Neither multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa nor carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae were detected. For methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the proportion of vancomycin-susceptible strains (MIC of 2 μg/mL) decreased from 14.7% to 7.7%. DiscussionBacterial strains that produced extended-spectrum β-lactamase included E. coli (82/330 strains, 24.8%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (11/68 strains, 16.2%), and Proteus mirabilis (4/26 strains, 15.4%). As compared to previous surveillance reports, these strains showed an increase in proportion over the years.

High prevalence of ceftriaxone-resistant and XDR Neisseria gonorrhoeae in several cities of Cambodia, 2022-23: WHO Enhanced Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (EGASP).

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a global public health concern. Ceftriaxone is the last effective and recommended option for empirical gonorrhoea therapy worldwide, but several ceftriaxone-resistant cases linked to Asia have been reported internationally. During January 2022-June 2023, the WHO Enhanced Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (EGASP) investigated N. gonorrhoeae AMR and epidemiological factors in patients from 10 clinical sentinel sites in Cambodia. Urethral swabs from males with urethral discharge were cultured. ETEST determined the MIC of five antimicrobials, and EGASP MIC alert values and EUCAST breakpoints were used. EGASP demographic, behavioural and clinical variables were collected using a standardized questionnaire. From 437 male patients, 306 had positive N. gonorrhoeae cultures, AMR testing and complete epidemiological data. Resistance to ceftriaxone, cefixime, azithromycin and ciprofloxacin was 15.4%, 43.1%, 14.4% and 97.1%, respectively. Nineteen (6.2%) isolates were resistant to all four antimicrobials and, accordingly, categorized as XDR N. gonorrhoeae. These XDR isolates were collected from 7 of the 10 sentinel sites. No EGASP MIC alert values for gentamicin were reported. The nationally recommended cefixime 400 mg plus azithromycin 1 g (65.4%) or ceftriaxone 1 g plus azithromycin 1 g (34.6%) was used for treatment. A high prevalence of ceftriaxone-resistant, MDR and XDR N. gonorrhoeae in several cities of Cambodia were found during 2022-23 in WHO EGASP. This necessitates expanded N. gonorrhoeae AMR surveillance, revision of the nationally recommended gonorrhoea treatment, mandatory test of cure, enhanced sexual contact notification, and ultimately novel antimicrobials for the treatment of gonorrhoea.

Molecular Prevalence of MecA and MecC Genеs in Coagulasе-Positive Staphylococci Isolated From Dogs with Dermatitis and Otitis in Belgrade, Serbia: A One Year Study

Abstract The escalating global concern of antimicrobial resistance in human and veterinary medicine is exacerbated by the inappropriate prescription of antibiotics for bacterial infections in companion animals. This study aimed to determine the distribution of coagulase-positive staphylococci causing clinical skin and ear infections in dogs and to determine methicillin-resistant isolates. A total of 78 staphylococcal strains were isolated from clinical samples taken from patients at the Dermatology Clinic at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Belgrade, Serbia. Multiplex PCR was used for species-specific identification, and mecA and mecC genes were used to determine methicillin resistance, in addition to phenotypic determination, MIC values and detection of PBP2a. Out of the 78 samples analyzed, 65.8% were identified as Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, 22.4% as S. aureus, 7.9% as S. coagulans, and 3.9% as S. intermedius. Four S. aureus isolates exhibited methicillin resistance confirmed by cefoxitin disk diffusion, while five were confirmed with MIC testing and latex agglutination. MecA gene was detected in 29.4% of S. aureus and 30% of S. pseudintermedius isolates. These isolates were classified as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP), respectively. No isolates carried the mecC gene. This study provides insights into the prevalence of CoPS species and methicillin resistance in isolates from dogs. Continued surveillance is essential to monitor and understand the emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in veterinary medicine and the results of this study accent the need for establishment of a continuous antimicrobial resistance surveillance program in the Republic of Serbia.

Predictive Modeling of Phenotypic Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Selected Beta-Lactam Antimicrobials from Beta-Lactamase Resistance Genes.

The outcome of bacterial infection management relies on prompt diagnosis and effective treatment, but conventional antimicrobial susceptibility testing can be slow and labor-intensive. Therefore, this study aims to predict phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility of selected beta-lactam antimicrobials in the bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae from different beta-lactamase resistance genotypes. Using human datasets extracted from the Antimicrobial Testing Leadership and Surveillance (ATLAS) program conducted by Pfizer and retail meat datasets from the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System for Enteric Bacteria (NARMS), we used a robust or weighted least square multivariable linear regression modeling framework to explore the relationship between antimicrobial susceptibility data of beta-lactam antimicrobials and different types of beta-lactamase resistance genes. In humans, in the presence of the blaCTX-M-1, blaCTX-M-2, blaCTX-M-8/25, and blaCTX-M-9 groups, MICs of cephalosporins significantly increased by values between 0.34-3.07 μg/mL, however, the MICs of carbapenem significantly decreased by values between 0.81-0.87 μg/mL. In the presence of carbapenemase genes (blaKPC, blaNDM, blaIMP, and blaVIM), the MICs of cephalosporin antimicrobials significantly increased by values between 1.06-5.77 μg/mL, while the MICs of carbapenem antimicrobials significantly increased by values between 5.39-67.38 μg/mL. In retail meat, MIC of ceftriaxone increased significantly in the presence of blaCMY-2, blaCTX-M-1, blaCTX-M-55, blaCTX-M-65, and blaSHV-2 by 55.16 μg/mL, 222.70 μg/mL, 250.81 μg/mL, 204.89 μg/mL, and 31.51 μg/mL respectively. MIC of cefoxitin increased significantly in the presence of blaCTX-M-65 and blaTEM-1 by 1.57 μg/mL and 1.04 μg/mL respectively. In the presence of blaCMY-2, MIC of cefoxitin increased by an average of 8.66 μg/mL over 17 years. Compared to E. coli isolates, MIC of cefoxitin in Salmonella enterica isolates decreased significantly by 0.67 μg/mL. On the other hand, MIC of ceftiofur increased in the presence of blaCTX-M-1, blaCTX-M-65, blaSHV-2, and blaTEM-1 by 8.82 μg/mL, 9.11 μg/mL, 8.18 μg/mL, and 1.04 μg/mL respectively. In the presence of blaCMY-2, MIC of ceftiofur increased by an average of 10.20 μg/mL over 14 years. The ability to predict antimicrobial susceptibility of beta-lactam antimicrobials directly from beta-lactamase resistance genes may help reduce the reliance on routine phenotypic testing with higher turnaround times in diagnostic, therapeutic, and surveillance of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae.

In vitro activity of ceftazidime-avibactam and comparators against OXA-48-like Enterobacterales collected between 2016 and 2020.

Resistance to carbapenems among Enterobacterales is often due to the production of enzymes that are members of the oxacillinases (OXA)-48-like family. These organisms can also be resistant to other classes of drugs and are difficult to identify and treat. This study evaluated the activity of the drug ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI) and other comparator agents against a global collection of Enterobacterales that produce OXA-48-like enzymes. CAZ-AVI was active against blaOXA-48-like Enterobacterales, and only colistin and tigecycline were similarly active among the comparator agents, highlighting the limited treatment options against these organisms. Continued surveillance of the distribution of these OXA 48-like producing Enterobacterales and monitoring of resistance patterns along with the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship measures to guide antibiotic use and appropriate treatment are necessary to avoid drug resistance among these organisms.

In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility data of global meropenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates causing pneumonia: Data from the Antimicrobial Testing Leadership and Surveillance Program, 2014–2021, and re-estimations of susceptibility breakpoints and appropriate dosages of important antibiotics for pneumonia treatment

To evaluate the susceptibility of globally pneumonia-causing meropenem-resistant (MEM-R) Acinetobacter baumannii isolates against important antibiotics and estimate appropriate dosages of indicated antibiotics. We extracted the 2014-2021 Antimicrobial Testing of Leadership Surveillance database regarding the susceptibility of MEM-R A. baumannii isolates causing pneumonia against important antibiotics. The susceptibility and carbapenemase-encoding gene (CPEG) data of pneumonia-causing MEM-R A. baumannii isolates from patients hospitalized in intensive care units of five major regions were analyzed. The susceptibility breakpoints (SBP) recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) in 2022, other necessary criteria [SBP of MIC for colistin, 2 mg/L, in the CLSI 2018; and cefoperazone-sulbactam (CFP-SUL), 16 mg/L], and the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data of indicated antibiotics were employed. Applying the aforementioned criteria, we observed the susceptible rates of colistin, minocycline, and CFP-SUL against the pneumonia-causing MEM-R A. baumannii isolates globally (n = 2905) were 93.2%, 69.1%, and 26.3%, respectively. Minocycline was significantly more active in vitro (MIC ≤4 mg/L) against the pneumonia-causing MEM-R A. baumannii isolates collected from North and South America compared to those from other regions (>90% vs. 58-72%). Additionally, blaOXA-23 and blaOXA-72 were the predominant CPEG in pneumonia-causing MEM-R A. baumannii isolates. After deliberative estimations, dosages of 200 mg minocycline intravenously every 12 h (SBP, 8 mg/L), 100 mg tigecycline intravenously every 12 h (SBP, 1 mg/L), and 160 mg nebulized colistin methanesulphonate every 8 h (SBP, 2 mg/L) are needed for the effective treatment of pneumonia-causing MEM-R A. baumannii isolates.

IMPACT OF ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMMES ONBACTERIAL RESISTANCE LEVEL IN THE UAE: A SYSTEMATICREVIEW

Antimicrobial resistance is a global problem that needs to be addressed immediately due to its huge clinical and economic burden ((WHO, 2021a). The death toll associated with antimicrobial resistance approached 5 million cases in 2019 while total cost that can impact the whole society is around £10 billion each year (Antimicrobial Resistance Collaborators, 2022: Smith and Coast, 2012). Eventually, this has motivated the World Health Organization (WHO) to set a global action plan to counteract the antimicrobial resistance all-over the world as a priority issue (WHO, 2015). In 2015, the United Nations (UN) released the updated Sustainability Development Goals (SDG) that is aiming to improve the public health and general well-being of the globe through tackling 17 topics. Treatment and prevention for multiple common infections such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), malaria, tuberculosis and others were among the main targets in its agenda (UN, 2019). In UAE, although several initiatives have been adopted such as launching antimicrobial stewardship programmes and surveillance programmes, antimicrobial resistance is still an unresolved issue (National sub-committee for AMR surveillance, 2021 UAE Higher Committee for Antimicrobial Resistance, 2019). The resistance of Acinetobacter species to several cephalosporins and penicillins exceeded 20% (National sub-committee for AMR surveillance, 2021). Current evidence available publicly does not include a systematic review that is evaluating the effect of antimicrobial stewardship programmes on bacterial resistance level in UAE. With the scarcity of data and complexity of the issue, it is important to conduct this systematic review to assess the impact of these programmes on bacterial resistance level and identify gaps and challenges in the implementation.

Minimum inhibitory concentrations of antifungals against invasive isolates of Cryptococcus species worldwide: Global antifungal antimicrobial testing leadership and surveillance program, 2010–2020

This study examined the geographic distribution of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of antifungals against Cryptococcus isolates. Data were collected on the MICs of specific antifungals (amphotericin B, 5-flucytosine, fluconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, and isavuconazole) against various Cryptococcus species for the period 2010 to 2020 from the Antimicrobial Testing Leadership and Surveillance database. Cryptococcus isolates were collected from samples of blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients hospitalized in different regions worldwide. We applied the epidemiological cutoff values (ECVs) of antifungals against various Cryptococcus species to distinguish wild-type (WT) from non-WT Cryptococcus isolates. A total of 395 isolates of Cryptococcus species cultured from blood (n = 201) or CSF (n = 194) were analyzed. C. grubii (n = 270), C. neoformans (n = 111), and C. gattii (n = 11) were the three predominant species causing bloodstream infections (BSI) or meningitis/meningoencephalitis (MME). The proportion of MICs above the ECV (1 mg/L) for amphotericin B among C. neoformans isolates was significantly lower than that among C. gattii isolates (MICs >0.5 mg/L; P < 0.001), as evaluated using the chi-square test. For most isolates of the three predominant Cryptococcus species, the MICs of new triazoles were ≤0.25 mg/L. The MICs of fluconazole and amphotericin B in the BSI/MME-causing Cryptococcus isolates collected from patients hospitalized in the Asia-Western Pacific region and Europe were significantly lower (i.e., the distributions were more leftward) than those in North America and Latin America. Ongoing monitoring of MIC data for important antifungals against cryptococcosis is crucial.

The Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobials are an integral component of healthcare delivery. When resistance to an antimicrobial emerges, it has a significant impact on an individual’s treatment and the community more broadly. In Australia, to monitor antimicrobial resistance in human health, the Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) performs three ongoing blood-based antimicrobial surveillance programs: the Australian Staphylococcus aureus Surveillance Outcome Program (ASSOP); the Australian Enterococcal Surveillance Outcome Program (AESOP); and the Gram-negative Surveillance Outcome Program (GnSOP). All data are available on the AGAR website and are included in the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care’s Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Australia Surveillance System.