Surge in Hospital-Acquired Antimicrobial-Resistant Infections During COVID-19

Recent research indicates a significant rise in hospital-acquired infections resistant to antimicrobial agents across U.S. hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, as published in a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The study, led by a team from the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, analyzed data from 243 hospitals to evaluate the rates of antimicrobial-resistant infections during and after the pandemic. The findings revealed an increase from 182 to 193 cases per 10,000 hospitalizations during the pandemic's peak, marking a 6.5% rise. Notably, infections classified as hospital-onset antimicrobial-resistant surged by 31.5%, climbing from 28.9 to 38.0 per 10,000 hospitalizations.

The research identified several factors linked to the rise in these infections, including the severity of illness--such as admissions to intensive care units, the need for mechanical ventilation, the use of vasopressors, and a diagnosis of COVID-19--as well as existing comorbidities quantified through the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index. Prior exposure to antibiotics was also found to significantly influence the occurrence of hospital-onset antimicrobial resistance, while no direct association was established with hospital-specific factors.

As the COVID-19 pandemic receded, the overall prevalence of antimicrobial resistance returned to pre-pandemic levels, stabilizing at 182 cases per 10,000 hospitalizations. However, the rate of hospital-onset antimicrobial-resistant infections remained elevated, recorded at 32.3 per 10,000 hospitalizations.

The authors of the study emphasized the substantial impact that antibiotic use in the three months preceding hospitalization had on increasing antimicrobial resistance, highlighting the potential of this modifiable factor in addressing the ongoing public health challenge of antibiotic resistance.

The full study can be accessed via the Annals of Internal Medicine for those seeking comprehensive insights into the findings.