High drug-pathogen mismatch in the management of invasive carbapenem-resistant infections at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to provide lacking data on antibiotics and treatment strategies used in the management of carbapenem-resistant (CRE) infections in Nigeria.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was carried out at the University College Hospital in Ibadan. CRE isolated from routine culture of specimens from hospitalized patients from December 2021 to September 2022 was identified. Treatment information and other data were collected from the patients' medical records.

RESULTS

The hospital laboratory isolated CRE from 55 patients during the study period and 27 (49.1%) of them had data available for the study. The most frequently isolated CRE was (13 of 27, 48.1%). Of the 24 patients who received empiric antibiotics, only two (8.3%) of their CRE isolates were susceptible. After receiving culture results, 18 (66.7%) patients were treated with at least one antibiotic, to which resistance was documented. Only three (11.1%) patients overall commenced or remained on an antibiotic, to which their CRE isolate was susceptible.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite culture data, we found a high prevalence of drug-pathogen mismatch in CRE treatment, including new or persistent use of antibiotics, to which resistance was documented. Antimicrobial stewardship efforts need to be strengthened to specifically address CRE treatment and effective antibiotics need to be made accessible.