CDC: Antibiotic-Resistant CRE Bacteria On the Rise, Becoming More Lethal

According to a new report from the CDC, a lethal, drug-resistant bacteria is spreading throughout U.S. healthcare facilities. The bacteria, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, has been on the rise and has become more resistant to last-resort antibiotics over the past decade.

The CDC describes CRE as a "triple threat" because of the following:

• Resistance: The bacteria are resistant to nearly all antibiotics, including the most powerful, last-resort drugs. 
• Death: CRE germs kill 50% of the patients who contact bloodstream infections from them. 
• Spread of disease: CRE bacteria can easily transfer their antibiotic resistance to other bacteria. For example, carbapenem-resistant klebsiella can spread its drug-resistant properties to E. coli, making that bacteria resistant to antibiotics too. 

CRE is typically spread person-to-person, often by the hands of healthcare workers.

According to Tom Friedman, Director of the CDC, "CRE are nightmare bacteria. Our strongest antibiotics don't work and patients are left with potentially untreatable infections. Doctors, nurses, hospital leaders and public health must work together now to implement CDC's 'detect and protect' strategy and stop these infections from spreading."

The CDC has released a CRE Toolkit that includes guidance on halting the spread of the bacteria. According to the toolkit, all long-term care facilities should observe the following eight core measures:

1. Hand hygiene 
2. Contact precautions
3. Healthcare personnel education
4. Minimizing device use 
5. Patient and staff cohorting
6. Laboratory notification
7. Antimicrobial stewardship
8. CRE screening

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