Preserving the antimicrobial arsenal: exploring alternatives to carbapenems in ESBL battles within the southeast of Ireland.

Carbapenems are usually employed as first-line antimicrobials against bacteria harbouring extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs). These enzymes confer resistance often to multiple classes of antimicrobials. This indiscriminate use of carbapenems and the inevitable development of carbapenem resistance have prompted the need for carbapenem-sparing strategies.