Current status of carbapenemases in Latin America.

Enterobacteriaceae and non fermenting Gram-negative bacilli have become a threat to public health, in part due to their resistance to multiple antibiotic classes, which ultimately have led to an increase in morbidity and mortality. β-lactams are currently the mainstay for combating infections caused by these microorganisms, and β-lactamases are the major mechanism of resistance to this class of antibiotics. Within the β-lactamases, carbapenemases pose one of the gravest threats, as they compromise one of our most potent lines of defense, the carbapenems.

New developments in carbapenems.

Antibiotic resistance among Gram-negative pathogens in hospitals is a growing threat to patients and is driving the increased use of carbapenems. Carbapenems are potent members of the beta-lactam family of antibiotics, with a history of safety and efficacy for serious infections that exceeds 20 years. Original and review articles were identified from a Medline search (1979-2008).

Current concepts in antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria.

Gram-negative bacteria are the dominant killers among bacterial pathogens in the intensive care unit. Antibiotic resistance has become a threat in hospital settings and efforts are being made to understand the underlying mechanisms. This review describes current data on the most important mechanisms of resistance in prevalent gram-negative pathogens as well as newer therapeutic options.

First detection of the plasmid-mediated class A carbapenemase KPC-2 in clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae from South America.

The plasmid-mediated class A carbapenemase KPC-2 was isolated from unrelated Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in Medellin, Colombia. These KPC enzymes are the first from South America and the second isolation outside of the United States. The expanding geographic spread of KPC carbapenemases underscores the importance of clinical recognition of these enzymes.

First detection of metallo-beta-lactamase VIM-2 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from Colombia.

Carbapenem resistance rates in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates in Colombia, as in many South American countries, are high for reasons that remain unclear. From our nationwide network, we describe the first detection of the metallo-beta-lactamase VIM-2 in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa from multiple cities within Colombia.

Mechanisms of resistance to beta-lactams in some common Gram-negative bacteria causing nosocomial infections.

Gram-negative bacilli remain major killers of hospitalized patients and continue to evolve new resistance mechanisms. This review describes the mechanisms of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics from those Gram-negative pathogens most often isolated from nosocomial infections.