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Infections of Drug-Resistant ‘Nightmare Bacteria’ Are Surging in Hospitals

The group Enterobacterales encompasses a wide number of common germs, including Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. One way bacterial species turn into CRE is by picking up specific genes that Among CRE with these genes, those with a gene that codes for an enzyme called New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase, or NDM, had the largest jump in infection rate—461 percent. Such so-called NDM-CRE bacteria are known to spread easily through health care facilities via medical equipment such as ventilators and intravenous tubing. People receiving treatment in these care settings are currently at highest risk, but Rankin says it’s not out of the realm of possibility for NDM-CRE infections to occur in other…

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 'These creatures are really evil': Nightmare bacteria live up to their nickname

The creatures, bacteria with the NDM gene, make an enzyme that protects them against most antibiotics. (NDM stands for New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase.) The full name is NDM-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (NDM-CRE).

 NDM-Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales Infections Rise 460% in US

US infections caused by NDM-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (NDM-CRE) increased by more than 460% from 2019 to 2023, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analysis published in Annals of Internal Medicine. CDC cautions that this surge could raise overall carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) infections and deaths beyond prior national estimates. NDM-CRE cause pneumonia, bloodstream, urinary tract, and wound infections and are resistant to many available antibiotics, leaving limited treatment options. Detection is frequently delayed because many clinical laboratories do not routinely perform carbapenemase testing, complicating targeted therapy and control measures.

Articles of Interest

'Nightmare bacteria' cases are increasing in the US

Infection rates from drug-resistant “nightmare bacteria” rose almost 70% between 2019 and 2023, according to a new report from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientists.

CDC warns of antibiotic-resistant NDM-CRE bacteria surge

“This sharp rise in NDM-CRE means we face a growing threat that limits our ability to treat some of the most serious bacterial infections,” Danielle Rankin, an epidemiologist in the CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, said in a statement.

Changes in Carbapenemase-Producing Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales, 2019 to 2023

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) represent heterogeneous resistance mechanisms with distinct clinical and public health implications. Among these mechanisms, carbapenemases drive the spread of CRE. The type of carbapenemase affects treatment options, as fewer agents are active against CRE with NDM (New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase) and other metallo-β-lactamases compared with KPC (Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase), the historically predominant carbapenemase in U.S. CRE

NDM-beta-lactamase-1: Where do we stand?

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) have been playing havoc in the field of nosocomial as well as community-acquired infections. Of particular concern are the carbapenem-resistant GNBs, belonging to Enterobacteriaceae and encoding for New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) gene. These strains spread rapidly and horizontally in the population, thus exhibiting MDR traits as these can harbour several resistance encoding genes to almost all antimicrobial groups.

Rising Threat of NDM-CRE in U.S. Healthcare: CDC Data Reveal a Concerning Shift

A surge in hard-to-treat infections underscores the need for stronger detection, infection control, and coordinated national response.