Carbapenemase-producing organism infection

Carbapenemase-producing organism infection refers to infection with bacteria that carry carbapenemase-producing genetic elements, with surveillance language in the provided sources describing these organisms as a reportable resistance concern ^[1]. One source specifically notes that the Ohio Department of Health classifies carbapenemase-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a carbapenemase-producing organism and a Class B reportable disease ^[1]. The concept is used in surveillance to identify organisms with resistance mechanisms that can be shared between bacteria, but source-backed taxonomic detail beyond the examples given is not yet available ^[1].

The provided sources do not describe a characteristic symptom complex for carbapenemase-producing organism infection, so source-backed detail on presentation, severity, or complications is not yet available ^[1][2][3][4]. One report describes a June 2024 outbreak of carbapenemase-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Verona Integron-encoded Metallo-beta-lactamase infections in a hospital, detected after whole genomic sequencing linked two patients’ infections ^[1]. Another source notes that colonization can be asymptomatic and that colonization screening may identify individuals for transmission-based precautions ^[2]. Beyond these surveillance and outbreak-context observations, the sources do not provide a clinical course description ^[1][2].

The sources present carbapenemase-producing organisms as an emerging and growing antibiotic resistance threat rather than a single geographically bounded disease entity ^[2]. One source documents a healthcare-associated outbreak investigation in Cincinnati in June 2024, and notes that CDC sequencing was being used to link carbapenemase-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections to a multi-state outbreak associated with artificial tears ^[1]. Another source describes screening data collected through the Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory Network’s Southeast Regional Laboratory during 2017–2019, indicating active surveillance in healthcare settings ^[2]. A separate citation identifies carbapenemase-producing organism in food as a published topic in 2014, but the provided metadata do not supply outbreak details or exposure findings from that report ^[4].

The most explicit transmission-related detail in the sources is that carbapenemase-producing genes may reside on mobile genetic elements or plasmids that can be transmitted to other bacteria ^[1]. The sources also indicate that colonization screening is used to find asymptomatically colonized individuals for implementation of transmission-based precautions, implying healthcare-associated spread control concerns ^[2]. Source-backed detail on specific human-to-human routes, environmental persistence, or foodborne transmission is not yet available from the snippets ^[1][2][4].

The sources do not provide a formal risk-group list, but they do indicate that screening recommendations are intended to prioritize high-risk patients and settings ^[2]. Healthcare-associated contexts are repeatedly highlighted, including hospital outbreak investigation and point-prevalence or admission screening programs ^[1][2]. Beyond these setting-based observations, source-backed detail on specific demographic or clinical high-risk groups is not yet available ^[2][1].

The sources support prevention through surveillance, screening, and transmission-based precautions rather than through any patient-level intervention description ^[2]. Whole genomic sequencing is described as a tool for faster outbreak detection and public health response by clarifying how closely organisms are related genetically ^[1]. Colonization screening is presented as a way to identify asymptomatically colonized individuals so that transmission-based precautions can be applied, and to prioritize high-risk patients and settings in order to preserve facility resources ^[2].

In surveillance practice, this concept should be read as a resistance-focused organism category that may encompass both infection and colonization findings, not solely symptomatic disease ^[2][1]. The provided sources emphasize reportability, outbreak detection, and linkage of cases by whole genomic sequencing, including use in healthcare-associated investigations and multi-state cluster recognition ^[1]. Because the available material is largely metadata and outbreak context, source-backed detail on incidence thresholds, standard case definitions, or routine monitoring metrics is not yet available ^[1][2].

1. 1 Early Detection of a Carbapenemase-producing organism Outbreak Using Whole Genomic Sequencing. Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology. 2025. doi: 10.1017/ash.2025.235. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/ash.2025.235
2. 2 Evaluation of Patient Risk Factors for Carbapenemase-Producing Organism Colonization. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. 2020. doi: 10.1017/ice.2020.777. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2020.777
3. 3 Molecular diagnosis of carbapenemase producing Enterobacteriaceae infection. International Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2016. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2016.02.036. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2016.02.036
4. 4 Carbapenemase-producing Organism in Food, 2014. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2014. doi: 10.3201/eid2007.140534. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2007.140534

ICD-10

ICD-11

Total cases

332K

Peak month

2023-01

Coverage

3 reporting countries · 2014-09-19 → 2026-06-20