The Limits of Serial Surveillance Cultures in Predicting Clearance of Colonization with Carbapenemase-Producing <i>Enterobacteriaceae</i>

Abstract

An accepted practice for patients colonized with multidrug-resistant organisms is to discontinue contact precautions following 3 consecutive negative surveillance cultures. Our experience with surveillance cultures to detect persistent carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) colonization suggests that extrapolation of this practice to CPE-colonized patients may not be appropriate.