Prevalence and risk factors associated with infections linked to carbapenemase-producing species circulating in the city of Yaoundé, Cameroon.

OBJECTIVES

Carbapenems are critical antibiotics used against multidrug-resistant infections, yet resistance is increasing, especially among Gram-negative bacteria like species. In Cameroon, while is well studied, little is known about other species such as , and . This study assessed the prevalence of carbapenemase-producing and associated risk factors in Yaoundé hospitals.

METHODS

A 6-month prospective cross-sectional study (April-September 2024) was conducted using 531 clinical samples from four health facilities. Strains were identified via morphologic, biochemical, and API 20 NE® tests. Antibiotic susceptibility was assessed using disc diffusion, and carbapenemases were characterized phenotypically.

RESULTS

Of the samples, 4.9% yielded , with being most common (80.8%), followed by (11.5%) and (7.7%). showed high antibiotic resistance, especially to beta-lactams, with 85.71% producing carbapenemases (83.33% class B and 16.67% class A). Significant risk factors included hospitalization, current antibiotic therapy, recent antibiotic use, and age group 38-47 years.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight an urgent need for better surveillance, stricter antibiotic stewardship, and enhanced infection control strategies to limit the spread of resistant infections in Yaoundé's health care settings.