Gene

Carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae

Gram-negative bacteria

Acinetobacter baumannii

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia

Carbapenem

Stenotrophomonas

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Acinetobacter

Enterobacteriaceae

Pseudomonas

Population

Antibiotics

Bacteria

Genetics

Escherichia coli

Biochemistry

Medicine

Biology

Microbiology

Antibiotic resistance

Environmental health

Clinical Infectious Diseases

Carbapenem resistance in gram-negative bacteria has caused a global epidemic that continues to grow. Although carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae have received the most attention because resistance was first reported in these pathogens in the early 1990s, there is increased awareness of the impact of carbapenem-resistant nonfermenting gram-negative bacteria, such as Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Moreover, evaluating the problem of carbapenem resistance requires the consideration of both carbapenemase-producing bacteria as well as bacteria with other carbapenem resistance mechanisms. Advances in rapid diagnostic tests to improve the detection of carbapenem resistance and the use of large, population-based datasets to capture a greater proportion of carbapenem-resistant organisms can help us gain a better understanding of this urgent threat and enable physicians to select the most appropriate antibiotics.

Epidemiology and Diagnostics of Carbapenem Resistance in Gram-negative Bacteria