Background: The frequency of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) is increasing in Germany and worldwide.
Objectives: Presentation of MDRO resistance rates and prevalence in Germany MATERIALS AND METHODS: Results from the Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance (ARS) and Hospital Infection Surveillance Systems (Krankenhausinfektions-Surveillance-Systems, KISS) and from recent prevalence surveys are presented.
Results: MRSA-resistance rates and the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have remained at a stable level over the last few years. In contrast, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and multidrug-resistant gramnegative (MRGN) bacteria have increased considerably. VRE prevalence has more than tripled in the past 5 years, and Escherichia coli resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, acylureidopenicillins, and fluoroquinolones increased by 43% in 2015 compared with the previous year.
Conclusions: New policies to control MDRO should focus on VRE and the heterogeneous group of MRGN bacteria. In the case of the latter, the different bacterial species' characteristics should be taken into consideration.
Keywords: Infectious diseases; MRSA; Staphylococcus aureus; Surveillance; VRE.