Authors: Brolund A, Lagerqvist N, Byfors S, Struelens MJ, Monnet DL, Albiger B, Kohlenberg A; European Antimicrobial Resistance Genes Surveillance Network EURGen-Net Capacity Survey Group

Abstract:

The rapid worldwide dissemination of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) represents a global threat to patient safety and healthcare systems [1,2]. While data based on invasive isolates from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net) show stable proportions of carbapenem resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli for the last 4 years in the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) as a whole, there is considerable heterogeneity across EU/EEA countries, with proportions of carbapenem resistance in K. pneumoniae invasive isolates ranging from 0 to 65% in 2017 [3]. Furthermore, there are recent reports of spread of CPE in individual European countries [4–7].

In 2017, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) established the European Antimicrobial Resistance Genes Surveillance Network (EURGen-Net) to perform structured surveys of carbapenem- and/or colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CCRE) in Europe, building on the ’European Survey of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae (EuSCAPE)’ project [8–10]. This network continues to support laboratory capacity building for detection and surveillance of CCRE in Europe. To determine the current epidemiological situation of CPE and the national capacity for surveillance and containment of CPE and/or carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), a questionnaire was sent to national experts from 30 EU/EEA and seven EU candidate or potential candidate countries in June 2018. Here, we present the results of the 2018 assessment and compare them with previous assessments using the same methodology.

Euro Surveillance : Bulletin Européen Sur Les Maladies Transmissibles = European  Communicable Disease Bulletin