Screening of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in Stool Samples in Hospitalized Patients: A Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Infection with Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (also known as CRE) is being more recognized as a significant obstacle in healthcare settings and is a global cause for worry.

Aims: This surveillance study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in the faecal samples of inpatients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Delhi, India.

Methods: In this prospective study, which was carried out over the course of 8 months (from February 2019 to September 2019), we screened 398 Enterobacteriaceae isolates for carbapenemase from the stool samples of 353 inpatients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Delhi.

Results: Of the total of 398 Enterobacteriaceae isolates screened, 56 (14.08%) of the isolates demonstrated carbapenemase activity. The prevalence of CRE was found to be highest in E.coli (15.23%) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (13.71%).

Conclusions: Screening for the presence of CRE in the faeces of patients can serve as a helpful guide for doctors in determining whether or not a patient's gut is colonized by multidrug-resistant Enterobacterales. This is especially important in patients who are at possible endogenous infection risk. This includes patients who are undergoing any gastrointestinal surgical process, patients with haematological malignancies who are receiving chemotherapy, and patients who have had a bone marrow transplant planned for them.