Assessment of the in vitro activity of ceftazidime/avibactam against a global collection of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella spp. from the INFORM surveillance programme (2015-2017).

Infections caused by Klebsiella spp. are difficult to treat when these pathogens exhibit multidrug resistance (resistance to ≥3 drug classes). This study determined rates of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Klebsiella spp. among clinical isolates collected globally (Africa/Middle East, Asia, Oceania, Europe and Latin America, but not the USA) as part of the INFORM surveillance programme (2015-2017). In vitro antimicrobial activities of ceftazidime/avibactam (CAZ/AVI) and comparator antimicrobials against these MDR isolates were determined using CLSI broth microdilution methodology. MICs were interpreted using EUCAST 2019 breakpoints. By species, 38.4% (4555/11 864) of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were MDR, followed by 28.3% (452/1598) of Klebsiella aerogenes. The majority (69.5%) of MDR K. pneumoniae isolates were extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-positive and carbapenemase-negative compared with 1.3% of MDR K. aerogenes. Globally, >92% of MDR K. pneumoniae isolates were resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, aztreonam, cefepime, ceftazidime or ceftriaxone. CAZ/AVI, colistin and tigecycline MIC values were 1-2 mg/L against the global collection of MDR K. pneumoniae and MDR K. aerogenes. Approximately 5% (216/4555) of all MDR K. pneumoniae isolates and 1.1% (5/452) of all MDR K. aerogenes isolates were resistant to CAZ/AVI. Rates of resistance to CAZ/AVI and colistin were low for MDR, ESBL-positive, carbapenemase-negative K. pneumoniae (0.1% and 3.0%, respectively). Resistance to CAZ/AVI was highest among MDR, carbapenemase-positive, metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-positive K. pneumoniae (98.0%), whereas colistin resistance was highest among MDR, carbapenemase-positive, MBL-negative isolates (30.2%). The results of this study suggest that CAZ/AVI, colistin and tigecycline are potential treatment options for nosocomial infections caused by MDR Klebsiella spp. isolates.