Pre- and post-COVID-19 evaluation of antimicrobial susceptibility for healthcare-associated infections in the intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital

Abstract

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance has worsened since the onset of COVID-19. Methods: This study involved patients admitted to the adult intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary hospital. Pre-and post-COVID-19 data were analyzed. The healthcare-related infections (HCRIs) reported between January 2018 and January 2020 and during the pandemic between February and July 2020 were compared. Results: Antimicrobial resistance increased during the pandemic, especially for Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates, with a rate increase from 5% to 50% for Polymyxin B. Conclusions: The susceptibilities of the main pathogens associated with HCRIs in the ICU changed and should be considered in managing severe COVID-19.

Antibiotic Resistance Patterns and Association With the Influenza Season in the United States: A Multicenter Evaluation Reveals Surprising Associations Between Influenza Season and Resistance in Gram-Negative Pathogens

“…A limitation of our study is that it did not include data after 2019 and therefore does not reflect significant changes in antibiotic treatment patterns in response to severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) [ 31 , 32 ], which may have also influenced ABR rates [ 33 ]. Future research will be required to evaluate the influence of pandemic alterations, including antibiotic prescribing, on ABR [ 34 ].…”

Impact of an antimicrobial stewardship program in a COVID-19 reference hospital according to the AWaRe classification

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected bacterial resistance and has had a direct impact on antimicrobial consumption rates 2,3 . Furthermore, human resources have been affected in multiple ways, e.g., suffering from a lack of preparation and information, and burnout syndrome 6 .…”

“…However, achieving this target has been difficult due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and recent evidence has demonstrated that AMR increased after 2019-2020 (e.g., carbapenem and polymyxin resistance) 2,3 .…”

Rising incidence of carbapenem resistant isolates: an Argentinian hospital’s experience. More trouble in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Regarding Latin-American countries, one prospective cohort study from a tertiary care center in Mexico City that included 794 patients with severe COVID-19, identified 110 hospital-acquired infections in 74 patients, the majority of which (69.6%) were caused by Enterobacterales, however with a low prevalence of carbapenem resistance [30]. Meanwhile, a Brazilian study recently found a surge in carbapenem as well as polymyxin B resistance among healthcare-associated infections in the ICU of a tertiary care hospital during the post-pandemic period [32].…”