Incidence and predictors of health care-associated infections among patients colonized with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae

Colonization with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) precedes invasive infections. Neither the actual risk for the latter nor the route between the 2 stages is completely clear. We studied a retrospective cohort of patients hospitalized between 2013-2016 and colonized with CRE. The incidence of CRE health care-associated infections was 13.2%, and predictors were the presence of a urinary catheter and the use of carbapenems. Infection prevention strategies in CRE-colonized patients should focus on invasive devices and antimicrobial stewardship. (C) 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.