A 6-Year Review of Carbapenemase-Producing Organisms in Alberta, Canada

Abstract

Background: This review describes the epidemiology of carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPO) in both the community and hospitalized populations in the province of Alberta. Methods: Newly identified CPO-positive individuals from April 1, 2013, to March 31, 2018, were retrospectively reviewed from 3 data sources, which shared a common provincial CPO case definition: (1) positive CPO results from the Provincial Laboratory for Public Health, which provides all referral and confirmatory CPO testing, (2) CPO cases reported to Alberta Health, and (3) CPO surveillance from Alberta Health Services Infection Prevention and Control (IPC). The 3 data sources were collated, and initial CPO cases were classified according to their likely location of acquisition: hospital-acquired, hospital-identified, on admission, and community-identified. Risk factors and adverse outcomes were obtained from linkage to administrative data. Results: In total, 171 unique individuals were newly identified with a first-time CPO case. Also, 15% (25 of 171) were hospital-acquired (HA), 21% (36 of 171) were hospital-identified (HI), 33% (57 of 171) were on admission, and 31% (53 of 171) were community identified. Overall, 9% (5 of 171) resided in long-term care facilities. Of all patients in acute-care facilities, 30% (35 of 118) had infections and 70% were colonized. Overall, 38% (65 of 171) had an acute-care admission in the 1 year prior to CPO identification; 59% (63 of 106) of those who did not have a previous admission had received healthcare outside Alberta. A large proportion of on-admission cases (81%, 46 of 57) and community-identified (66%, 33 of 53) cases did not have any acute-care admissions in Alberta in the previous year. Overall, 10% (14 of 171) had ICU admissions in Alberta within 30 days of CPO identification, and 5% (8 of 171) died within 30 days. The most common carbapenemase gene identified was NDM-1 (53%, 90 of 171). Conclusions: These findings highlight the robust nature of Alberta’s provincial CPO surveillance network. We reviewed 3 different databases (laboratory, health ministry, IPC) to obtain comprehensive data to better understand the epidemiology of CPO in both the community and hospital settings. More than half of the individuals with CPO were initially identified in the community or on admission. Most had received healthcare outside Alberta, and no acute-care admissions occurred in Alberta in the previous year. It is important to be aware of the growing reservoir of CPO outside the hospital setting because it could impact future screening and management practices.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None