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Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales

Enterobacterales is the name given to a family of bacteria that normally lives in the human gut. Some of these bacteria produce enzymes, called carbapenemases, which stop antibiotics from working against the bacteria. Bacteria that produce these enzymes are resistant to most types of antibiotics. There is a high mortality rate associated with these infections caused by these bacteria, because of the limited treatments options available.

Recommendations for the control of CPE

The Recommendations for the control of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) - A guide for acute care health facilities was published in 2017 to support health service organisations in preventing and containing CPE infections. The guide recommends strategies to prevent, detect and contain CPE. In response to the increasing prevalence of CPE across Australia, the CPE Guide was updated and retitled in 2021 to reflect contemporary clinical practice and scientific evidence, and consistency with the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Health Care and the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.

The 2021 CPE Guide was developed following a review of the current clinical context and consultation involving clinical experts in infectious diseases, clinical microbiology, infection prevention and control, as well as representatives from Australian state and territory health departments.The recommendations in the 2021 CPE Guide should be considered in conjunction with the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare, relevant local policies and procedures and your infection control team.

thumbnail_-_recommendations_for_the_control_of_cpe
2021
Guide, user guide or guidelines

The 2021 Recommendations for the control of Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (2021 CPE Guide) provides updated guidance on recommended strategies to prevent, detect and contain CPE in Australian health service organisations.


Supporting resources

The following resources have been developed to support the implementation of the recommendations outlined in the 2021 CPE Guide:

Thumbnail CPE Information for patients
2021
Fact sheet or brochure

This resource provides information to patients about the transmission of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales as well as information on how patients can play a role in preventing the transmission of CPE to others.

Thumbnail CPE Infographic
2021
Poster or graphic

This infographic has been developed to promote the increasing risk of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) in Australia and to summarise strategies to prevent and control the spread of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales in health care.

thumbnail_-_cpe_information_for_nurses_and_doctors_working_in_hospitals
2022
Guide, user guide or guidelines

This resource provides information to nurses and doctors about strategies to prevent and manage infections caused by carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales in the acute care setting.

thumbnail_-_cpe_summary_for_health_service_organisations
2022
Guide, user guide or guidelines

This resource provides health service organisations with an overview of the key actions to prevent and manage infections caused by carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales in the acute care setting, based on recommendations from the the 2021 CPE Guide.

The Commission established the CARAlert system as part of the Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Australia (AURA) Surveillance System, to improve timely resistance reporting of critical antimicrobial resistances (CARs). CARAlert monitors resistance mechanisms, or profiles, that are known to present a serious threat to the effectiveness of last-line antimicrobial agents. CPE is currently monitored as one of the critical antimicrobial resistances in CARAlert. Click here for more information on CARAlert.

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