Abstract Background Infections with metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-producing organisms are emerging in the United States. Treatment options for these infections are limited. We describe MBL genes among carbapenemase positive carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CP-CRE) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CP-CRPA) isolates tested during the first two years of the Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory Network (AR Lab Network). Methods State and local public health laboratories tested CRE and CRPA isolates for organism identification, antimicrobial susceptibility, and PCR-based detection of blaKPC, blaNDM, blaOXA-48-like, blaVIM, and blaIMP carbapenemase genes. All testing results were sent to CDC at least monthly. Results Since January 2017, the AR Lab Network tested 21,733 CRE and 14,141 CRPA. CP-CRE were detected in 37% of CRE; 2% of CRPA were CP-CRPA. Among CP-CRE, 9% (686/8016) were MBL-producers (NDM, VIM, or IMP). Among MBL-producers, a blaNDM gene was detected most often (81%; 551/686). blaNDM were most common among Klebsiella spp. (47%; 261/551), blaIMP were most common among Providencia spp. (53%; 40/75), blaVIM was most common among Enterobacter spp. (19%; 25/62). Twelve percent (96) of MBL CP-CRE contained more than one carbapenemase gene. Among CP-CRPA, 73% (218/300) were MBL producers and blaVIM was the most common gene (62%; 186). Three (1%) MBL CP-CRPA contained more than one carbapenemase. Conclusion Increased testing of CRE and CRPA isolates through the AR Lab Network has facilitated early and rapid detection of hard-to-treat infections caused by MBL-producing organisms across the United States. The widespread distribution of MBL genes highlights the continued need for containment strategies that help prevent transmission between patients and among healthcare facilities. To support therapeutic decisions for severe infections caused by MBL-producing organisms, the AR Lab Network is now offering rapid susceptibility testing against aztreonam/avibactam, using digital dispenser technology. This testing program aims to close the gap between the availability of new drugs or drug combinations and the availability of commercial AST methods, thereby improving patient safety and antimicrobial stewardship. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.
ABSTRACT Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) and carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) are significant public health threats, particularly when harboring carbapenemases. Literature describing the frequencies and phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of isolates harboring multiple carbapenemase genes is limited. Using data collected from the Antimicrobial Resistance Laboratory Network (AR Lab Network) in 2018–2022, we describe CRE and CRPA isolates that harbor multiple acquired carbapenemase genes. Clinical laboratories submitted CRE and CRPA isolates to AR Lab Network public health laboratories for additional characterization that included antimicrobial susceptibility testing and detection of five targeted carbapenemase genes. Isolates were classified as non-carbapenemase producing (non-CP) when negative for carbapenemase production and all targeted carbapenemase genes, or positive for a single-CP (SCP) or multiple-carbapenemase (MCP) targeted gene. Among 79,799 CREs tested, 27,599 (35%) were SCP and 611 (1%) were MCP. MCP-CRE most often carried bla KPC / bla NDM ( n = 285, 47%). Both SCP-CRE and MCP-CRE were most commonly Klebsiella spp. Enterobacter spp. and Escherichia coli isolates harboring MCP were detected at slightly higher frequencies (18% and 15%; n = 109 and n = 88, respectively) than Enterobacter spp. and Escherichia coli isolates harboring SCP (13% and 13%; n = 3,653 and 3,471, respectively). The number of MCP-CRE detected increased from 54 of 5,105 (1%) in 2018 to 223 of 6,994 (3%) in 2022. Among 54,490 CRPA tested, 2% ( n = 1,249) were SCP and 31 were MCP. MCP-CRPA most often carried bla VIM / bla IMP ( n = 13, 42%). A higher proportion of MCP-CRE (97%, n = 330) isolates were categorized as resistant to meropenem, compared to SCP-CRE (79%; n = 11,227) and non-CP (13%; n = 2,683). Although MCP organisms represent a small proportion of total CP detected in the AR Lab Network, there is a need for continued monitoring and additional research. IMPORTANCE Carbapenemase-producing organisms are of significant clinical and public health concerns, and rapid detection and containment of such threats are vital to preventing their spread. In this article, we used a collection of over 130,000 contemporary isolates to evaluate frequencies and phenotypic and genotypic properties of CRE and CRPA isolates harboring multiple carbapenemase genes across the United States, from 2018 to 2022. Of note, 95% and 100% of CRE and CRPA isolates co-harbored at least one metallo-β-lactamase gene, respectively, indicating a high proportion of isolates originating from patients with difficult-to-treat infections. Both clinical and public health professionals across the nation can use these data and key findings to better understand the molecular landscape of these isolates. Timely detection and control of these organisms are essential to combating the spread of antibiotic resistance and ensuring the availability of effective treatment options for patients.
We develop a model anisotropy best-fitting to the two-dimensional sky-map of multi-TeV galactic cosmic ray (GCR) intensity observed with the Tibet III air shower (AS) array. By incorporating a pair of intensity excesses in the hydrogen deflection plane (HDP) suggested by Gurnett et al., together with the uni-directional and bi-directional flows for reproducing the observed global feature, this model successfully reproduces the observed sky-map including the "skewed" feature of the excess intensity from the heliotail direction, whose physical origin has long remained unknown. These additional excesses are modeled by a pair of the northern and southern Gaussian distributions, each placed ~50 degree away from the heliotail direction. The amplitude of the southern excess is as large as ~0.2 %, more than twice the amplitude of the northern excess. This implies that the Tibet AS experiment discovered for the first time a clear evidence of the significant modulation of GCR intensity in the heliotail and the asymmetric heliosphere.
Background: In the United States, carbapenemases are rarely the cause of carbapenem resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Detection of carbapenemase production (CP) in carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (CRPA) is critical for preventing its spread, but testing of many isolates is required to detect a single CP-CRPA. The CDC evaluates CRPA for CP through (1) the Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory Network (ARLN), in which CRPA are submitted from participating clinical laboratories to public health laboratories for carbapenemase testing and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and (2) laboratory and population-based surveillance for CRPA in 8 sites through the Emerging Infection Program (EIP). Objective: We used data from ARLN and EIP to identify AST phenotypes that can help detect CP-CRPA. Methods: We defined CRPA as P. aeruginosa resistant to meropenem, imipenem, or doripenem, and we defined CP-CRPA as CRPA with molecular identification of carbapenemase genes ( bla KPC, bla IMP, bla NDM, or bla VIM). We applied CLSI break points to 2018 ARLN CRPA AST data to categorize isolates as resistant, intermediate, or susceptible, and we evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of AST phenotypes to detect CP among CRPA; isolates that were intermediate or resistant were called nonsusceptible. Using EIP data, we assessed the proportion of isolates tested for a given drug in clinical laboratories, and we applied definitions to evaluate performance and number needed to test to identify a CP-CRPA. Results: Only 203 of 6,444 of CRPA isolates (3%) tested through AR Lab Network were CP-CRPA harboring bla VIM (n = 123), bla KPC (n = 53), bla IMP (n = 16), or bla NDM (n = 13) genes. Definitions with the best performance were resistant to ≥1 carbapenem AND were (1) nonsusceptible to ceftazidime (sensitivity, 93%; specificity, 61%) (Table 1) or (2) nonsusceptible to cefepime (sensitivity, 83%; specificity, 53%). Most isolates not identified by definition 2 were sequence type 111 from a single-state bla VIM CP-CRPA outbreak. Among 4,209 CRPA isolates identified through EIP, 80% had clinical laboratory AST data for ceftazidime and 96% had clinical laboratory AST data for cefepime. Of 967 CRPA isolates that underwent molecular testing at the CDC, 7 were CP-CRPA; both definitions would have detected all 7. Based on EIP data, the number needed to test to identify 1 CP-CRPA would decrease from 135 to 42 for definition 1 and to 50 using definition 2. Conclusions: AST-based definitions using carbapenem resistance combined with ceftazidime or cefepime nonsusceptibility would rarely miss a CP-CRPA and would reduce the number needed to test to identify CP-CRPA by >60%. These definitions could be considered for use in laboratories to decrease the testing burden to detect CP-CRPA. Funding: None Disclosures: In the presentation we will discuss the drug combination aztreonam-avibactam and acknowledge that this drug combination is not currently FDA approved.
Motivated by the difference between the fluxes of sub-PeV Galactic diffuse gamma-ray emission (GDE) measured by the Tibet AS$\gamma$ experiment and the LHAASO collaboration, our study constrains the contribution to the GDE flux measured by Tibet AS$\gamma$ from the sub-PeV gamma-ray sources in the first LHAASO catalog plus the Cygnus Cocoon. After removing the gamma-ray emission of the sources masked in the observation by Tibet AS$\gamma$, the contribution of the sources to the Tibet diffuse flux is found to be subdominant; in the sky region of $25^{\circ} < l < 100^{\circ}$ and $|b| < 5^{\circ}$, it is less than 26.9% $\pm$ 9.9%, 34.8% $\pm$ 14.0%, and ${13.5%}^{+6.3%}_{-7.7%}$ at 121 TeV, 220 TeV, and 534 TeV, respectively. In the sky region of $50^{\circ} < l < 200^{\circ}$ and $|b| < 5^{\circ}$, the fraction is less than 24.1% $\pm$ 9.5%, 27.1% $\pm$ 11.1% and ${13.5%}^{+6.2%}_{-7.6%}$. After subtracting the source contribution, the hadronic diffusive nature of the Tibet diffuse flux is the most natural interpretation, although some contributions from very faint unresolved hadronic gamma-ray sources cannot be ruled out. Different source-masking schemes adopted by Tibet AS$\gamma$ and LHAASO for their diffuse analyses result in different effective galactic latitudinal ranges of the sky regions observed by the two experiments. Our study concludes that the effect of the different source-masking schemes leads to the observed difference between the Tibet diffuse flux measured in $25^{\circ} < l < 100^{\circ}$ and $|b| < 5^{\circ}$ and LHAASO diffuse flux in $15^{\circ} < l < 125^{\circ}$ and $|b| < 5^{\circ}$.
Culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs) are increasingly used to diagnose Campylobacter infection in the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet). Because CIDTs have different performance characteristics compared with culture, which has been used historically and is still used to diagnose campylobacteriosis, adjustment of cases diagnosed by CIDT is needed to compare with culture-confirmed cases for monitoring incidence trends.We identified the necessary parameters for CIDT adjustment using culture as the gold standard, and derived formulas to calculate positive predictive values (PPVs). We conducted a literature review and meta-analysis to examine the variability in CIDT performance and Campylobacter prevalence applicable to FoodNet sites. We then developed a Monte Carlo method to estimate test-type and site-specific PPVs with their associated uncertainties.The uncertainty in our estimated PPVs was largely derived from uncertainty about the specificity of CIDTs and low prevalence of Campylobacter in tested samples. Stable CIDT-adjusted incidences of Campylobacter cases from 2012 to 2015 were observed compared with a decline in culture-confirmed incidence.We highlight the lack of data on the total numbers of tested samples as one of main limitations for CIDT adjustment. Our results demonstrate the importance of adjusting CIDTs for understanding trends in Campylobacter incidence in FoodNet.
We found a strong association between nalidixic acid–resistant Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis infections in the United States and recent international travel by linking Salmonella Enteritidis data from the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System and the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network.
Background: Due to limited therapeutic options and potential for spread, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE)-producing New Delhi metallo-β-lactamases (NDMs) are a public health priority. We investigated the epidemiology of NDM-producing CRE reported to the CDC to clarify its distribution and relative prevalence. Methods: The CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory Network supports molecular testing of CRE for 5 carbapenemases nationally. Although KPC is the most common carbapenemase in the United States, non-KPC carbapenemases are a growing concern. We analyzed CRE with any of 4 non-KPC plasmid-mediated carbapenemases (NDM, VIM, IMP, or OXA-48 type) isolated from specimens collected from January 1, 2017, through June 30, 2019; only a patient’s first isolate per organism–carbapenemase combination was included. We excluded isolates from specimen sources associated with colonization screening (eg, perirectal). We compared the proportion of NDM-producing CRE to all non-KPC–producing CP-CRE between period A (January to June 2018) and period B (January to June 2019). Health departments and the CDC collected additional exposure and molecular information in selected states to better describe current NDM-producing CRE epidemiology. Results: Overall, 47 states reported 1,013 non–KPC-producing CP-CRE (range/state, 1–109 isolates; median, 11 isolates); 46 states reported 631 NDM-producing CRE (range/state, 1–84; median, 6). NDM-producing CRE increased quarterly from the third quarter of 2018 through the second quarter of 2019; CP-CRE isolates with other non-KPC carbapenemases remained stable (Fig. 1). In period A, 124 of 216 emerging CP-CRE had NDM (57.1%), compared with 255 of 359 emerging CP-CRE (71.0%) during period B ( P = .1179). Among NDM-producing CRE, the proportion of Enterobacter spp increased from 10.5% in 2018 to 18.4% in 2019 ( P = .0467) (Fig. 2). In total, 18 states reported more NDM-producing CRE in the first 6 months of 2019 than in all of 2018. Connecticut, Ohio, and Oregon were among states that conducted detailed investigations; these 3 states identified 24 NDM-producing CRE isolates from 23 patients in period B. Overall, 5 (21.7%) of 22 patients with history available traveled internationally ≤12 months prior to culture; 17 (73.9%) acquired NDM-producing CRE domestically. Among 15 isolates sequenced, 8 (53.3%) carried NDM-5 (6 E. coli , 1 Enterobacter spp and 1 Klebsiella spp) and 7 (46.7%) carried NDM-1 (6 Enterobacter spp and 1 Klebsiella spp). Species were diverse; no single strain type was shared by >2 isolates. Conclusions: Detection of NDM-producing CRE has increased across the AR Lab Network. Among states with detailed information available, domestic acquisition was common, and no single variant or strain predominated. Aggressive public health response and further understanding of current US NDM-CRE epidemiology are needed to prevent further spread. Disclosures: None Funding: None