Microorganisms (May 2024)

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Colonization by Multidrug-Resistant Microorganisms among Long-Term Travelers and Recently Arrived Migrants

  • Víctor Monsálvez,
  • Paula Bierge,
  • María Luisa Machado,
  • Oscar Q. Pich,
  • Elisa Nuez-Zaragoza,
  • Carme Roca,
  • Ana I. Jiménez-Lozano,
  • Ángela Martínez-Perez,
  • Aina Gomila-Grange,
  • Isabel Vera-Garcia,
  • Ana Requena-Méndez,
  • Silvia Capilla,
  • Oriol Gasch

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12050936
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 5
p. 936

Abstract

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Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria have become one of the most important health problems. We aimed to assess whether international travel may facilitate their spread through the colonization of asymptomatic travelers. A cross-sectional study was conducted (November 2018 to February 2022). Pharyngeal and rectal swabs were obtained from long-term travelers and recently arrived migrants from non-European countries, and an epidemiological survey was performed. Colonization by Gram-negative bacteria and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was determined by chromogenic media and MALDI-TOF-MS. Resistance mechanisms were determined by the biochip-based molecular biology technique. Risk factors for colonization were assessed by logistic regression. In total, 122 participants were included: 59 (48.4%) recently arrived migrants and 63 (51.6%) long-term travelers. After their trip, 14 (11.5%) participants—5 (8.5%) migrants and 9 (14.3%) travelers—had rectal colonization by one MDR bacterium. Escherichia coli carrying the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) CTX-M-15 was the most frequent. No participants were colonized by MRSA or carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. The only risk factor independently associated with MDR bacterial colonization was previous hospital attention [OR, 95% CI: 10.16 (2.06–50.06)]. The risk of colonization by MDR bacteria among recently arrived migrants and long-term travelers is similar in both groups and independently associated with previous hospital attention.

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