Management of Severe Infections: Multidrug-Resistant and Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria

Abstract

This article provides an overview of the mechanisms behind carbapenem resistance and the antibiotic management for severe infections caused by key carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria, specifically Enterobacterales, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. For Enterobacterales, it highlights the relative advantages of meropenem-vaborbactam and imipenem-relebactam in treating Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing strains with resistance to ceftazidime-avibactam, the preference for ceftazidime-avibactam in addressing oxacillin-hydrolyzing carpapenemase (OXA)-48-like -producing organisms, and the combination of ceftazidime-avibactam with aztreonam for metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-producing Enterobacterales. Regarding A baumannii, sulbactam-durlobactam is identified as the preferred treatment, while ceftolozane-tazobactam, ceftazidime-avibactam, and imipenem-relebactam are viable options for P aeruginosa. Additionally, cefiderocol is presented as an alternative for MBL-producing carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria.

Keywords: Acinetobacterbaumannii; Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales; Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales; Carbapenems; Cefiderocol; Metallo-β-lactamase; Pseudomonasaeruginosa; β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors.