An update on carbapenem resistance in nonfermenting gram-negative bacteria

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is considered one of the most important and severe global public health threats. Carbapenems are the drug of choice that can be employed in treating severe bacterial infections and emergency scenarios caused by multidrug-resistant infections. In the present situation, resistance to carbapenem has emerged as a significant global public health problem due to its complications in hospitalized settings. Carbapenems were once considered the backbone of treating life-threatening infections, but with the emergence of resistance, their utility as a life-saving drug has been compromised. The nonfermenting Gram-negative bacteria (NFGNB) are a group of organisms with the potential to cause difficulties in treating life-threatening infections, often in the cases of immunocompromised patients with multiple preexisting comorbidities. Most of the members in this group are intrinsically resistant to multiple antibiotics and carbapenems are the drug of choice for such infections. However, the rate of carbapenem resistance in NFGNB is gradually increasing worldwide and the need to study the mechanism of carbapenem resistance in nonfermenting Gram-negative bacilli is very important in the combat against multidrug-resistant infections. This review emphasizes the characteristics of the NFGNB, their clinical impact, detection of resistance, and the other applicable treatment strategies.

Keywords

• antimicrobial resistance
• carbapenemases
• carbapenems
• multidrug resistance
• nonfermenting gram-negative bacteria