New antibiotic resistance mechanism identified
July 02, 2010
Between January and June 2010, three bacterial isolates carrying a newly described resistance mechanism were identified in three different U.S states. This is the first report of the New Delhi metallo-beta-lacatamase (NDM-1) carriage among Enterobacteriaceae in the United States.
- The isolates, 1 each of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Enterobacter cloacae carried the gene that conveys resistance to all beta-lactam agents except aztreonam.
- In the United Kingdom, isolate carriage of this gene has been closely linked to receipt of medical care in India and Pakistan.
- All three U.S isolates were from patients who received recent medical care in India.
The Iowa Department of Public Health is asking physicians to be aware of the possibility for NDM-1—producing Enterobacteriaceae in patients who have received medical care in India and Pakistan and specifically ask about this risk factor. Physicians should notify their laboratory of these high-risk patients when submitting specimens to the lab for culture. Carbapenem-resistant isolates from patients who have received medical care within six months in India or Pakistan should be forwarded to the State Hygienic Lab where they will be sent to the CDC for further testing.
For more information on these organisms and CDC contacts for consultation visit www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5924a5.htm?s_cid=mm5924a5_x.