Reflections on a national public health emergency response to carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE)

• DOI: 10.1017/s0950268822000218
• Publication Date: 2022-03-30T10:40:56Z
• Authors: Hilary Humphreys; Martin Cormican; Wendy Brennan; Karen Burns; Diarmuid O'Donovan; Therese Dalchan; Shirley Keane; Anne Sheahan
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; From the Field; 616; /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being; 610; /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being; name=SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being; name=SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being; 3. Good health

Abstract Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) are important globally. In 2017, Ireland declared a national public health emergency to address CPE in acute hospitals. A National Public Health Emergency Team and an expert advisory group (EAG) were established. The EAG has identified key learnings to inform future strategies. First, there is still an opportunity to prevent CPE becoming endemic. Second, damp environmental reservoirs in hospitals are inadequately controlled. Third, antibiotic stewardship remains important in control. Finally, there is no current requirement to extend screening to detect CPE outside of acute hospitals. These conclusions and their implications may also be relevant in other countries.