ISCAID: PETS TOO: Emergence of Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in Pets

Presentation Description / Session Abstract: The emergence of carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in companion animal veterinary medicine was inevitable. CRE are an urgent antibiotic resistance threat because they are not only carbapenem-resistant, but are resistant to most other antibiotic classes. Antimicrobial stewardship is unlikely to address the spread of these organisms because the use of any antimicrobial has the potential to select for these pan-resistant bacteria. To date there have been a few sporadic reports of CRE from dogs in the Europe, the UK and China. Most recently we described an outbreak at at veterinary teaching hospital in the US. Veterinarians will learn 1) how to recognize CRE and how to obtain laboratory confirmation; 2) how to use principles of Antimicrobial Stewardship to determine how and when to treat infections caused by these organisms. CRE are also reportable organisms in many states as they are considered to be an emerging public health threat. It is essential that veterinarians be aware of the reporting requirements in their state. Hospital Infection Prevention is critical to control the spread of these pan-resistant organisms to humans and to minimize environmental contamination that could lead to continued spread to animals and humans from the veterinary hospital.