SuperbugsCDC measures have limited spread of “nightmare” bacteria

Published 4 April 2018

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported yesterday (3 April) that public health laboratories identified more than 220 samples of “nightmare” bacteria containing unusual resistance genes in 2017, a finding that officials say illustrates the importance of the agency’s efforts to identify emerging drug-resistant pathogens quickly and contain them before they can spread.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported yesterday (3 April) that public health laboratories identified more than 220 samples of “nightmare” bacteria containing unusual resistance genes in 2017, a finding that officials say illustrates the importance of the agency’s efforts to identify emerging drug-resistant pathogens quickly and contain them before they can spread.

In a new Vital Signs report, CDC researchers said that overall, more than 1,400 isolates of carbapenemase-producing bacteria were identified from clinical samples from 32 states during the first 9 months of 2017. Carbapenemase genes confer resistance to carbapenems, a class of powerful antibiotics that are considered a last resort for drug-resistant bacterial infections, and can be spread easily among different types of bacteria.

Carbapenem-resistant infections are exceedingly difficult to treat and have a mortality rate of nearly 50 percent.

CIDRAP notes that while most of the isolates were carrying a carbapenem resistance gene that is familiar in the US healthcare system, 221 isolates were carrying resistance genes that are less common in the United States but are known to cause and spread carbapenem-resistant infections and outbreaks in hospitals in other parts of the world.

In addition, screening of healthcare contacts of infected patients by seven regional public health labs found that 1 in 10 were colonized with these bacteria.

Acting CDC Director Anne Schuchat, MD, said at a news conference that while the findings are troubling given the severity of carbapenem-resistant infections and their ability to spread in healthcare settings, they highlight some good news: The agency’s updated containment strategy for new and emerging forms of antibiotic resistance appears to be having an impact.

“The bottom line is that resistance genes with the capacity to turn regular germs into nightmare bacteria have been introduced into many states, but with an aggressive response, we’ve been able to stomp them out promptly, and stop their spread between people, between facilities, and between other germs,” Schuchat said.