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Isolation and Identification of Waterborne Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Molecular Characterization of their Antibiotic Resistance Genes
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Antimicrobial resistance among people with intellectual disabilities in long-term care facilities: an exploratory,

Soemeja Hidad1,2, Wieke Altorf-Van Der Kuil1, Freek De Haan1

  • 1Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.

Jac-Antimicrobial Resistance
|July 6, 2026
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Antimicrobial resistance percentages for six highly resistant microorganisms (HRMOs) in people with intellectual disabilities (ID) residing in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) in the Netherlands are low. Further research is needed to understand the full burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Limited data exists on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) living in long-term care facilities (LTCFs).
  • This study investigated the prevalence of six highly resistant microorganisms (HRMOs) in this specific population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the resistance percentages of specific HRMOs among individuals with ID in Dutch LTCFs.
  • To identify which HRMOs are present and their prevalence.

Main Methods:

  • Data from 11 clinical microbiology laboratories in the Netherlands between 2018-2023 were analyzed.
  • The study focused on the first isolate per species, per patient, per year, ordered by ID physicians.
  • Resistance was determined using phenotypic and genotypic testing, calculating resistance percentages for each HRMO.

Main Results:

  • Low resistance percentages were observed for ESBL-producing Enterobacterales (3.2%), carbapenemase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1.3%), and MRSA (0.4%).
  • No carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), Acinetobacter spp. (CPA), or vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) were detected.
  • The majority of detected HRMOs were found in older adults with ID.

Conclusions:

  • Antimicrobial resistance percentages for the studied HRMOs in people with ID in the Netherlands are low.
  • Further comprehensive studies are required to assess the overall burden of AMR and associated risk factors in the entire ID population, including data from general practitioners.

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