Carbapenem Resistant Pathogens: Epidemiology, Treatment and Prevention

Dear Colleagues,

Antimicrobial resistance is an urgent and contemporary danger to public health. Carbapenem resistance is a wide umbrella definition encompassing both nonfermenters (e.g., A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa) and fermenters (e.g., Enterobacterales) but comprises distinct resistance mechanisms and molecular epidemiology that varies regionally. Carbapenem-resistant pathogens tend to harbor numerous mechanisms of resistance, drug inactivation through carbapenemase enzyme production being the most recognized. However, the proliferation of diverse carbapenemase, non-carbapenemase, and non-enzymatic mechanisms demands a shift in how these organisms are identified and managed. Adding to the complexity of the current challenges with carbapenem resistance includes inconsistent definitions among regulatory bodies and lack of specific infection prevention measures and limitations in rapid diagnostics corresponding to the diverse mechanisms underlying carbapenem resistance. Thus, there is a need for global investigations into emerging mechanisms and epidemiology underlying these evasive organisms and into the effectiveness of treatments that can guide clinicians and public health agencies to efficiently diagnose, treat, and prevent the spread of these organisms. Topics welcome for submission to this Special Issue include, but are not limited to:

• Emerging mechanisms and features underlying non-carbapenemase-producing, carbapenem-resistant organisms;
• Comparative infection prevention measures targeting carbapenem-resistant organisms;
• Therapeutic approaches to non-carbapenemase-producing, carbapenem-resistant organisms;
• Novel diagnostic methods for carbapenem resistance with translational application in the clinic;
• Emerging resistance to non-carbapenem (e.g., polymyxin, fosfomycin) or carbapenem-beta lactamase agents (e.g., meropenem-vaborbactam);
• Epidemiological investigations in vulnerable or immunocompromised populations (e.g., bone marrow transplant);
• Impact of COVID-19 on regional variation in antimicrobial utilization and infection prevention measures with shifts in epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant organisms.

Dr. Grace C. Lee
Guest Editor

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• carbapenem resistance
• epidemiology
• Gram-negative
• carbapenemase
• non-carbapenemase