Dramatic increase in antimicrobial resistance in ESKAPE clinical isolates over the 2010-2020 decade in India

Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2024 May;63(5):107125. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2024.107125. Epub 2024 Feb 29.

Abstract

Rationale and objectives: ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) constitute a threat to humans worldwide. India is now the most populous country. The goal was to investigate the evolution of the rates of antimicrobial resistance in ESKAPE pathogens across India over the 2010-20 decade.

Methods: The data (89 studies) were retrieved from the Medline PubMed repository using specific keywords.

Results: The study of 20 177 ESKAPE isolates showed that A. baumannii isolates were the most represented (35.9%, n = 7238), followed by P. aeruginosa (25.3%, n = 5113), K. pneumoniae (19.5%, n = 3934), S. aureus (16.3%, n = 3286), E. faecium (2.6%, n = 517) and Enterobacter spp. (0.4%, n = 89). A notable increase in the resistance rates to antimicrobial agents occurred over the 2010-20 decade. The most important levels of resistance were observed in 2016-20 for A. baumannii (90% of resistance to the amoxicillin-clavulanate combination) and K. pneumoniae (81.6% of resistance to gentamycin). The rise in β-lactamase activities was correlated with an increase in the positivity of Gram-negative isolates for β-lactamase genes.

Conclusions: This review highlighted that, in contrast to developed countries that kept resistance levels under control, a considerable increase in resistance to various classes of antibiotics occurred in ESKAPE pathogens in India over the 2010-2020 decade.

Keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; ESBL; ESKAPE pathogens; India; MBL; β-lactams.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acinetobacter baumannii* / drug effects
  • Acinetobacter baumannii* / genetics
  • Acinetobacter baumannii* / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / genetics
  • Enterobacter / drug effects
  • Enterobacter / genetics
  • Enterobacter / isolation & purification
  • Enterococcus faecium / drug effects
  • Enterococcus faecium / genetics
  • Enterococcus faecium / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • India / epidemiology
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae* / drug effects
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae* / genetics
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae* / isolation & purification
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / genetics
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / isolation & purification
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
  • Staphylococcus aureus / genetics
  • Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents