The Emergence of Carbapenem- and Colistin-Resistant Enterobacteria in Senegal.

Antibiotic resistance is a public health problem. The emergence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) infections is a concern, particularly in Senegal. (1) Methods: Between January 2019 and July 2022, 240 isolates of enterobacteria resistant to third-generation cephalosporins and imipenem from biological samples from Fann Hospital (Dakar) and Hôpital Paix (Ziguinchor) were selected. The isolates were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and susceptibility tests were performed by the disk diffusion method. Antibiotic-resistance genes for class A beta-lactamases, carbapenemases, and plasmid resistance to colistin resistance () were screened by RT-PCR. (2) Results: The 240 enterobacteria were composed of: (60.83%), (21.67%), (13.75%), (2.08%), (0.83%), (0.42%), and (0.42%). Class A beta-lactamase genes were found in 229 isolates (70.41% , 37.5% , 83.75% , and 0.42% ). The carbapenemase genes and were found in 25 isolates, including 14 isolates with , 13 isolates with , and 2 isolates with both genes simultaneously. The gene was found in one isolate of . (3) Conclusions: The epidemiology of antibiotic-resistance genes in enterobacteria in Senegal shows the emergence of CPEs. This phenomenon is worrying, and rigorous surveillance is necessary to avoid further spread.