Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Irish critical care units: results of a pilot prevalence survey, June 2011

Outbreak Column 15: Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae

“…Given the lack of UK studies on gastrointestinal prevalence of CPE, estimating carriage rates and advocating effective control measures is extremely difficult. Data from Ireland (intensive care units) and emerging data from the UK suggest a low carriage rate of <1% in the general healthcare population (Burns et al, 2013). However, this may be considerably higher in certain high-risk groups and in regions where outbreaks are occurring.…”

Limerick: forever associated with five lines of rhyme or infamous for irrepressible carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae for all time?

“…This is in contrast to the outcome of an Irish prevalence study performed in 2011 across 40 Irish critical care units (37 adult and three paediatric), which found no CPE carriage. 5 However, as CPE was emerging as a global public health challenge at that time, those authors were prescient in recommending the importance of maintaining vigilance for CPE in Ireland.…”