AUSTIN, Texas — Researchers at Austin Public Health have found an antibiotic-resistant superbug that is emerging as a local public health threat.
- APH warns of drug-resistant superbug, CRE
- Many cases found in Travis County
- CDC says two million people are infected each year
APH investigated 37 cases of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, at Austin-area medical facilities in 2017 with 18 of those in Travis County residents.
CRE spreads from person to person on unwashed hands and medical devices. Patients at highest risk include those in hospitals and nursing homes and those with long-term antibiotic use, compromised immune systems, or invasive devices.
APH said since 2015, the number of cases and the incidence rate of CRE in Travis County have been increasing. In the November/December issue of the Travis County Medical Society Journal, Austin Public Health summarizes local data on the growing issue of this antibiotic-resistant organism in Travis County.
CRE are associated with high mortality rates, as many as 40 to 50 percent in some studies and have the potential to spread. CRE is considered to be one of the top three urgent drug-resistant organisms in the world today. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than two million people are infected with antibiotic-resistant organisms resulting in approximately 23,000 deaths each year.
Physicians and other medical providers and staff should follow the CDC’s CRE control recommendations including judicious use of antibiotics, contact precautions, hand washing, timely lab notification, up-to-date interfacility communication, education to healthcare workers, and guidelines for medical device removal.