Current status of ESKAPE microorganisms in Spain: Epidemiology and resistance phenotypes

Resistance rates in ESKAPE microorganisms included in the EARS-net surveillance database from Spain have increased in most of the cases. In 2017, multi-drug resistant isolates rose to 5.5% in Escherichia coli and 13.0% in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Carbapenemase producing Enterobacterales (CPE) have also increased in Spain over the last years with a current spread of throughout the country. EuSCAPE project revealed dominance of OXA-48 carbapenemase with lower prevalence of KPC, VIM or NDM enzymes. Increase of faecal carriers and presence of carbapenemases in the so-called high-risk clones have boosted the persistence and dissemination of CPE. One of these clones, the ST307 K. pneumoniae, has been associated with the spread of KPC carbapenemases and emergence of KPC variants conferring resistance to ceftazidime-avibactam combination.