Surveillance of MRSA, ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, and Clostridioides difficile in Catalan Hospitals: Findings from the VINCat Program

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to describe the epidemiological trends of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), and Clostridioides difficile in Catalonia, Spain.

Methods: We analyzed data from hospitals participating in the VINCat Program from 2008 to 2022. The study analyzed antimicrobial susceptibility data from isolates collected in acute care hospital settings. Key metrics: annual MRSA rate, incidence density of new MRSA cases, MRSA bacteremia, and hospital-acquired MRSA cases. We assessed the rate of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae and carbapenemase-resistant (CR)-K. pneumoniae, CR-Enterobacter cloacae, and CR-Escherichia coli. For C. difficile infections (CDI), the incidence density was determined.

Results: While MRSA rate slightly decreased over the study period, the incidence of MRSA bacteremia increased. Global hospital-acquired MRSA incidence decreased but increased in small hospitals. Among patients with bacteremia, the rate of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae remained stable; in contrast, the rate of CR-K. pneumoniae rose in large centers as well as did the rates of CR-E. cloacae and CR-E. coli. CDI incidence rose substantially over the study period.

Conclusion: VINCat's hospital surveillance system has provided valuable insights into the evolving incidence of key multidrug-resistant organisms and CDI. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions, particularly for MRSA in smaller hospitals and for CR-Enterobacteriaceae and CDI across all hospital sizes.

Keywords: Carbapenem-producing enterobacteriaceae; Clostridioides difficile; ESBL-producing enterobactericeae; Enterobacteriaceae productoras de beta-lactamasas de espectro extendido (BLEE); Enterobacteriaceae productoras de carbapenemasa; Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); Microorganismos multirresistentes (MMR); Multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO); Staphylococcus aureus resistente a meticilina (SARM).