Laboratory practices for identification and reporting of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in Department of Veterans Affairs facilities.
Margaret A FitzpatrickKatie J SudaSwetha RamanathanMarylou GuihanCharnetta BrownNasia SafdarMartin EvansMakoto M JonesChristopher D PfeifferJ Stacey KluttsMichael IcardiEli PerencevichMichael RubinCharlesnika T Evansnull nullPublished in: Infection control and hospital epidemiology (2019)
Laboratory identification of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) is a key step in controlling its spread. Our survey showed that most Veterans Affairs laboratories follow VA guidelines for initial CRE identification, whereas 55.0% use PCR to confirm carbapenemase production. Most respondents were knowledgeable about CRE guidelines. Barriers included staffing, training, and financial resources.