Epidemiology and clinical of infections and colonizations caused by Enterobacterales producing carbapenemases in a tertiary hospital

Objective. To describe the epidemiology of Enterobacterales producing carbapenemases (EPC) in a tertiary hospital. Material and methods. A retrospective observational study, all patients with a positive sample for EPC treated in hospitalization or in the Emergency Department were included, between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2016. Results. A total of 272 patients (316 samples) were included: 155 (57%) male. Mean age of 70.4 years (95% CI 68.2 -72.7). Mean Charlson index was 3.6 (95% CI 3.4-3.8). In 63.2% the acquisition was nosocomial, in 35.3% it was health-care associated (HA). 55.1% presented infection, the most frequent infection was urinary tract infection (UTI) (58.7%). The most frequent species were Klebsiella pneumoniae (62.7%) and Enterobacter cloacae (10.1%). The most frequent types of carbapenemase were OXA-48 (53.8%) and VIM (43%). The nosocomial acquisition was associated with the male gender, transplantation, immunosuppression, admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or surgical service, prior antibiotic treatment, Enterobacter, VIM, respiratory and intra-abdominal infections. The HA acquisition was associated with age and comorbidity, nursery home origin, bladder catheterization, greater number of outpatient procedures, previous hospital admission, K. pneumoniae and E coli, OXA-48, coproduction of extended spectrum betalactamases, UTI and sepsis. Conclusions. Patients who acquire EPC in nursery homes frequently have an infection. Patients with nosocomial acquisition are colonized by EPC in the ICU, in relation to invasive procedures and transplantation. This population has a higher mortality due to developing respiratory infections by EPC.