Evaluation of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in a tertiary-level reference hospital in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The rapid global spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) is a threat to the health system. METHODS: We evaluated the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of 70 CRE isolated in a tertiary hospital in Brazil between August and December 2015, and determined their resistance mechanisms. RESULTS: The most prevalent microorganism was Klebsiella pneumoniae (95.7%); it showed high-level resistance to carbapenems (>98%), with sensitivity to colistin (91.4%) and amikacin (98.6%). The bla KPC gene was detected in 80% of the CRE isolates. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of bacterial resistance contributes to an appropriate treatment, and the reduction of morbimortality and dissemination of resistance.