Multidrug-resistant organism bloodstream infection and hospital acquisition among inpatients in three tertiary Greek hospitals during the COVID-19 era

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2024 Jun;43(6):1241-1246. doi: 10.1007/s10096-024-04806-x. Epub 2024 Mar 26.

Abstract

From 2019 (pre-COVID-19) to 2022 (COVID-19 years), three tertiary Greek hospitals monitored MDRO bloodstream infection (BSI) and hospital acquisition relying on laboratory data. Surveillance covered carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), in intensive care units (ICUs) and non-ICUs. Non-ICUs experienced significant increases in CRE, CRAB and VRE during the pandemic. In ICUs, CRE increased in 2021, CRAB in 2020 and 2021, and VRE in 2021 and 2022. KPC predominated among CRE. MDRO BSI and hospital acquisition incidence rates increased, driven by CRE and CRAB.

Keywords: Greece; Healthcare-associated infections; Multidrug resistance; Surveillance.

MeSH terms

  • Acinetobacter baumannii / drug effects
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bacteremia* / epidemiology
  • Bacteremia* / microbiology
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Cross Infection* / epidemiology
  • Cross Infection* / microbiology
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial*
  • Greece / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Inpatients / statistics & numerical data
  • Intensive Care Units / statistics & numerical data
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects
  • SARS-CoV-2*
  • Tertiary Care Centers* / statistics & numerical data
  • Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci / drug effects
  • Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents