title: Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Europe: assessment by national experts from 38 countries, May 2015.
abstract: In 2012, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) launched the 'European survey of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (EuSCAPE)' project to gain insights into the occurrence and epidemiology of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE), to increase the awareness of the spread of CPE, and to build and enhance the laboratory capacity for diagnosis and surveillance of CPE in Europe. Data collected through a post-EuSCAPE feedback questionnaire in May 2015 documented improvement compared with 2013 in capacity and ability to detect CPE and identify the different carbapenemases genes in the 38 participating countries, thus contributing to their awareness of and knowledge about the spread of CPE. Over the last two years, the epidemiological situation of CPE worsened, in particular with the rapid spread of carbapenem-hydrolysing oxacillinase-48 (OXA-48)- and New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM)-producing Enterobacteriaceae. In 2015, 13/38 countries reported inter-regional spread of or an endemic situation for CPE, compared with 6/38 in 2013. Only three countries replied that they had not identified one single case of CPE. The ongoing spread of CPE represents an increasing threat to patient safety in European hospitals, and a majority of countries reacted by establishing national CPE surveillances systems and issuing guidance on control measures for health professionals. However, 14 countries still lacked specific national guidelines for prevention and control of CPE in mid-2015.
authors.affiliation: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Albiger
authors.forename: Corinna
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Glasner
authors.forename: Marc J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Struelens
authors.forename: Hajo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grundmann
authors.forename: Dominique L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Monnet
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015780:Carbapenems / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000201:enzymology*; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015780:Carbapenems; D001618:beta-Lactamases; C063912:carbapenemase
keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; Europe; Gram negative; Infection prevention and control; carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE); surveillance