PREVALENCE OF PHENOTYPIC CARBAPENEM-RESISTANT ENTEROBACTERALES ISOLATES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION BY SEX, AGE GROUPS, STATE AND SPECIES IN SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA

Background: Carbapenems are broad spectrum β-lactam antibiotics that were introduced in response to the emergence of ESBL-producing Gram-negative bacteria. This study aimed at determining the occurence of carbapenem resistant Enterobacterales isolates among patients attending five tertiary hospitals with southeastern region of Nigeria. Methods: A total of 400 Enterobacterales were isolated from different participants. Carbapenem-resistance was detected using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method with ertapenem, meropenem, imipenem, and doripenem. Results: A total of 117 isolates (29.2%) were resistant to the four carbapenems. When compared among the states, the prevalence were 33.6%, 29.1%, 28.8%, 26.9% and 24.7% for Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Anambra and Abia states respectively. The highest resistance was observed among P. mirabilis (52.6%) followed by K. oxytoca (35.7%), S. enterica (35.7%) and K. pneumoniae (33.8%). Conclusion: The overall prevalence was high and this is a cause for concern and urgent need for emergency intervention to forestall widespread emergence of pandrug resistant infections.