Prolonged outbreak of New Delhi metallo-betalactamase-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (NDM-CRE), Tuscany, Italy, 2018 to 2019

Abstract

In Tuscany, Italy, New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamaseproducing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (NDM-CRE) have increased since November 2018. Between November 2018 and October 2019, 1,645 samples were NDM-CRE-positive: 1,270 (77.2%) cases of intestinal carriage, 129 (7.8%) bloodstream infections and 246 (14.9%) infections/colonisations at other sites. Klebsiella pneumoniae were prevalent (1,495; 90.9%), with ST147/NDM-1 the dominant clone. Delayed outbreak identification and response resulted in sustained NDM-CRE transmission in the North-West area of Tuscany, but successfully contained spread within the region.