Screening practices for antimicrobial-resistant organisms in a network of Canadian acute care hospitals

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Hospital Epidemiology
• Public Health Microbiology

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health threat.
• Effective surveillance and screening are crucial for controlling the spread of antimicrobial-resistant organisms (AROs) in healthcare settings.
• Standardized screening practices are essential for accurate interpretation of resistance data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and describe the current screening practices for AROs among hospitals in the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program (CNISP).
• To identify variations in screening protocols for specific AROs, including MRSA, CPO, and VRE.
• To provide insights that can inform and potentially standardize ARO screening strategies within Canadian hospitals.

Main Methods:

• A survey-based study was conducted among 75 hospitals participating in the CNISP.
• Data on screening practices for AROs, including specific pathogens and testing methodologies, were collected.
• Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the prevalence and patterns of screening practices.

Main Results:

• Screening practices for AROs demonstrated significant variability across participating hospitals.
• Widespread screening for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was reported.
• Screening for Carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPO) was selective, and screening for Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) was limited.

Conclusions:

• Current ARO screening practices within CNISP hospitals are inconsistent, particularly for CPO and VRE.
• These variations may impact the interpretation of ARO surveillance data and the comparability of resistance rates.
• Recommendations for refining and potentially standardizing screening protocols are warranted to enhance infection control efforts.