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Young Ok Hwang 1 Article
Outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales at a long-term care facility in Seoul, Korea: surveillance and intervention mitigation strategies
Yoojin Park, Euncheol Son, Young June Choe, Cho Ryok Kang, Sangmi Roh, Young Ok Hwang, Sung-il Cho, Jihwan Bang
Epidemiol Health. 2023;45:e2023057.   Published online June 9, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2023057
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  • 1 Crossref
AbstractAbstract AbstractSummary PDF
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Because effective decolonization options are not available, and treatment options are limited, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) constitute increasingly threatening nosocomial pathogens. To prevent CRE-associated transmission and ensure patient safety, healthcare personnel and everyone in contact with CRE-infected patients must implement stringent infection control practices. This report describes a CRE outbreak, possibly related to a caregiver at a long-term care facility (LTCF), and presents a new surveillance model to improve the infection control of CRE in Seoul, Korea.
METHODS
The Seoul Metropolitan Government surveillance system identified an outbreak of CRE in an LTCF in 2022. We obtained data on the demographic characteristics and contact histories of the inpatients, medical staff, and caregivers. To isolate the inpatients and employees exposed to CRE, we used rectal swab samples and environmental sampling during the study period (May-December 2022).
RESULTS
We identified 18 cluster cases (1 caregiver and 17 inpatients) and 12 sporadic cases with CRE, and conducted a complete 197-day follow-up of all cases in the LTCF’s isolation wards.
CONCLUSIONS
This investigation demonstrated that our surveillance model and targeted intervention, based on the cooperation of the municipal government, public health center, and infection control advisory committee, effectively contained the epidemic at the LTCF. Measures to improve the compliance of all employees in LTCFs with infection control guidelines should also be adopted.
Summary
Korean summary
서울시 CRE 감시체계를 통해 2022년 한 요양병원의 집단발생을 인지하였다. 현장역학조사를 실시하여 18명의 집단발생 사례(1명 간병인, 17명 입원환자)와 12명의 산발적인 사례를 확인하였고 감염관리 컨설팅을 통해 유행을 확산을 방지하는 중재를 시행하였다.
Key Message
The Seoul Metropolitan Government surveillance system identified an outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) in a long-term care facility (LTCF) in 2022. We identified 18 cluster cases (1 caregiver and 17 inpatients) and 12 sporadic cases with CRE. In the current study, we could demonstrate that our surveillance model and targeted intervention, based on the cooperation of the municipal government, public health center, and infection control advisory committee, effectively contained the epidemic at the LTCF. Measures to improve the compliance of all employees in LTCFs with infection control guidelines should also be adopted.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • Role of Probiotics in Preventing Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Colonization in the Intensive Care Unit: Risk Factors and Microbiome Analysis Study
    Jung-Hwan Lee, Jongbeom Shin, Soo-Hyun Park, Boram Cha, Ji-Taek Hong, Don-Haeng Lee, Kye Sook Kwon
    Microorganisms.2023; 11(12): 2970.     CrossRef

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