Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales incidence in the South-East Asia region: an observational study

Kyaw Zaw Linn; Stephanie Sutjipto; Oon Tek Ng; Jeanette Teo; Benjamin Pei Zhi Cherng; Thean Yen Tan; Surinder Kaur Pada; Say Tat Ooi; Nares Smitasin; Koh Cheng Thoon; Xiaowei Huan; Partha Pratim De; Douglas Chan; Nancy Wen Sim Tee; Michelle Ang; Li Yang Hsu; Raymond Tzer Pin Lin; Tong Yong Ng; Rama Narayana Deepak; Tse Hsien Koh; Anucha Apisarnthanarak; Sasheela Ponnampalavanar; Indumathi Venkatachalam; Kalisvar Marimuthu

doi:10.1017/ash.2023.477

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales incidence in the South-East Asia region: an observational study

Antimicrob Steward Healthc Epidemiol. 2023 Nov 15;3(1):e208. doi: 10.1017/ash.2023.477. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Kyaw Zaw Linn¹, Stephanie Sutjipto^{1

2}, Oon Tek Ng^{1

2

3}, Jeanette Teo⁴, Benjamin Pei Zhi Cherng^{5

6

7}, Thean Yen Tan⁸, Surinder Kaur Pada⁹, Say Tat Ooi¹⁰, Nares Smitasin^{4

7}, Koh Cheng Thoon^{6

7

11}, Xiaowei Huan¹, Partha Pratim De², Douglas Chan⁹, Nancy Wen Sim Tee⁴, Michelle Ang¹, Li Yang Hsu^{7

12

13}, Raymond Tzer Pin Lin^{7

14}, Tong Yong Ng¹⁵, Rama Narayana Deepak¹⁰, Tse Hsien Koh^{5

6}, Anucha Apisarnthanarak¹⁶, Sasheela Ponnampalavanar¹⁷, Indumathi Venkatachalam⁵, Kalisvar Marimuthu^{1

2

7}

Affiliations

¹ National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore, Singapore.
² Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
³ Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
⁴ National University Hospital and National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
⁵ Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
⁶ Duke-NUS Medical School, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
⁷ Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
⁸ Changi General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
⁹ Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁰ Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
¹¹ KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
¹² Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
¹³ Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁴ National Public Health Laboratory, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁵ Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁶ Thammasat University Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
¹⁷ University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic led to an initial increase in the incidence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) from clinical cultures in South-East Asia hospitals, which was unsustained as the pandemic progressed. Conversely, there was a decrease in CRE incidence from surveillance cultures and overall combined incidence. Further studies are needed for future pandemic preparedness.