Screening for antibiotic-resistant infection

Cases of carbapenemase-producing enterobacteriaceae (CPEs) are rising in the UK and around the world. Guidelines from Public Heath England outline methods for screening and managing CPEs, although the implementation is costly. Managing CPEs effectively relies on early detection and management of colonised or infected people. This article describes how an acute London trust designed a management programme for CPEs that involved increased screening. It began with a trustwide point-prevalence study to determine the most likely entrance points of the infection. Coupled with yearly reviews, this will enable targeted screening and more efficient use of resources.