Prevalence of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae in Western Saudi Arabia and Increasing Trends in the Antimicrobial Resistance of Enterobacteriaceae

Abstract

During the study period, the prevalence of CRE considerably rose in the two tertiary care institutions from western Saudi Arabia. In the CRE isolates, <i>^bla</i> OXA-48 was discovered to be the most common gene. We recommend an antimicrobial resistance surveillance system to detect the emergence of resistant genes through use of new rapid diagnostic tests and monitor antimicrobial use in order to improve clinical outcomes of CRE infections given the severity of infection associated with the CRE isolates as well as the limited treatment options available.