Invasive device-associated infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in critically ill patients: evolution over 10 years

Abstract

Invasive device-associated infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa over 10 years (2007-2016) were assessed based on data from the ENVIN-HELICS registry (200 Spanish intensive care units). P. aeruginosa was the leading pathogen except in the last two years in which there was a slight decrease, with Escherichia coli as the leading aetiology. The rate of infections caused by P. aeruginosa remained between 12.0% and 14.6% throughout the study period. There was a significant increase of isolates resistant to imipenem, meropenem, ceftazidime, cefepime, and piperacillin-tazobactam. Multidrug-resistant and the sum of extensively drug- and pandrug-resistant strains also increased. Resistance to anti-pseudomonal antimicrobials remains a matter of concern.

Keywords: Anti-pseudomonal drugs; Antimicrobial resistance; Critically ill; Intensive care unit; Invasive device-associated infection; Pseudomonas aeruginosa.