Carriage rate of CPE, ESBL-producing coliforms and MRSA in community settings in Suriname

Colonization by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria can cause difficult-to-treat infections, yet their carriage prevalence in Suriname is unknown. This cross-sectional study assessed intestinal community carriage and the molecular epidemiology of pathogens of public health importance, including carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), ESBL-producing coliforms (ESBL-c) and MRSA.

Faecal samples were collected from 310 non-hospitalized patients between October 2024 and February 2025 and analysed using selective culture and WGS.

The prevalence of ESBL carriage was 12.3% (95% CI: 8.4%-15.6%). Most ESBL/plasmid-mediated AmpC genes belonged to the bla _CTX-M-1-group. Among the detected ESBL-c isolates, four distinct genetic clusters were identified: two clusters had identical core genomes, and two clusters had related ones (≤10 allelic differences). No CPE were detected. Two MRSA and one Staphylococcus argenteus (MRSArg) with mecA genes were identified.

This study demonstrated frequent ESBL carriage in community-dwelling individuals attending ambulatory care in Suriname. Genomic clustering suggests transmission or shared sources. In contrast, carriage of CPE and MRSA was uncommon. These findings may help clinicians and policymakers to make informed decisions and develop targeted strategies to limit the spread of antimicrobial resistance and improve global public health.