title: Transmission of carbapenem-resistant pathogens in New York City hospitals: progress and frustration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are endemic in many medical centres. Because therapeutic options are limited, understanding the epidemiology and controlling the spread of these pathogens are of paramount importance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Isolates of K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa were collected from 14 hospitals in New York City over a 3 month period in 2009, and analysed for the presence of genes encoding important carbapenemases. Comparisons were made with a similar study conducted in 2006. Demographic and infection control-related information from hospitals was collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 29% of K. pneumoniae possessed the carbapenemase KPC, significantly improved from the 38% observed in 2006 (P < 0.001). However, carbapenem resistance worsened in A. baumannii (mostly due to the emergence of strains with OXA-type carbapenemases) and P. aeruginosa. The decline in KPC-possessing K. pneumoniae was not uniformly observed in all of the hospitals. In a subset analysis of nine hospitals, those with a decreasing prevalence of bla(KPC) had shorter average lengths of stay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measurable improvement has occurred in reducing the spread of KPC-possessing K. pneumoniae, and reducing the average length of stay may augment infection control efforts. However, the problem of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa lingers. New approaches, including respiratory isolation and environmental cleaning, need to be examined to control the spread of A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine,  State University of New York-Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York,  USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Landman
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Babu
authors.forename: Neha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Olafisoye
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Olawole
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bäcker
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bratu
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Quale
mesh_terms: D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015780:Carbapenems / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018440:beta-Lactam Resistance; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015780:Carbapenems; D001618:beta-Lactamases; C063912:carbapenemase