Tshisevhe, V.S.Lekalakala, M.R.Tshuma, N.Janse van Rensburg, S.Mbelle, Nontombi Marylucy2017-01-272017-01-272017Tshisevhe, VS, Lekalakala, MR, Tshuma, N, Janse Van Rensburg, S & Mbelle, N 2017, 'Outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Providencia rettgeri in a tertiary hospital', South African Medical Journal, vol. 107, no. 1, pp. 31-33.0256-9574 (print)2078-5135 (online)10.7196/SAMJ.2017.v107i1.12002http://hdl.handle.net/2263/58657The emergence of resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents in pathogenic bacteria is a significant public health threat, as there are limited effective antimicrobial agents for infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Several MDR bacteria are now frequently detected. Carbapenem resistance in Enterobacteriaceae is often plasmid mediated, necessitating stringent infection control practices. We describe an outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Providencia rettgeri involving 4 patients admitted to intensive care and high-care units at a tertiary hospital. Clinical and demographic characteristics of 4 patients with carbapenem-resistant P. rettgeri were documented. All P. rettgeri isolated in these cases had a carbapenem-resistant antibiogram, with resistance to imipenem, ertapenem and meropenem. These cases could be epidemiologically linked. A multiprong approach, simultaneously targeting antibiotic stewardship, universal precautions and appropriate transmission-based precaution practices, is integral to prevention and control of nosocomial infections.en© 2017 Health & Medical Publishing Group. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial Works License (CC BY-NC 3.0).InfectionsIntensive careProvidencia rettgeriPathogenic bacteriaMultidrug-resistant (MDR)MDR bacteriaProvidencia rettgeriArticle