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Review
. 2020 Jan 27;6(3):FSO438.
doi: 10.2144/fsoa-2019-0098.

A review on bacterial resistance to carbapenems: epidemiology, detection and treatment options

Ann A Elshamy  1 , Khaled M Aboshanab  1
Affiliations
Review

A review on bacterial resistance to carbapenems: epidemiology, detection and treatment options

Ann A Elshamy et al. Future Sci OA. .

Abstract

Carbapenems are a class of antimicrobial agents reserved for infections caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms. The emergence of carbapenem resistance has become a serious public health threat. This type of antimicrobial resistance is spreading at an alarming rate, resulting in major outbreaks and treatment failure of community-acquired and nosocomial infections caused by the clinically relevant carbapenem-producing Enterobacteriaceae or carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. This review is focused on carbapenem resistance, including mechanisms of resistance, history and epidemiology, phenotypic and genotypic detection in the clinically relevant bacterial pathogens and the possible treatment options available.

Keywords: MDR; antimicrobial resistance; carbapenem; carbapenem resistance; carbapenem-producing Enterobacteriaceae; carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae; carbapenemase; multidrug-resistance.

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Conflict of interest statement

Financial & competing interests disclosure The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Carbapenem backbone structure.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. The chemical structure of thienamycin.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.. Chemical structure of imipenem.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.. Chemical structure of meropenem.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.. Chemical structure of ertapenem.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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