1223. Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-Associated Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Before and After Implementation of Ethylene Oxide (ETO) Sterilization of Duodenoscopes

BACKGROUND: Reusable duodenoscopes utilized for Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures are challenging to clean thoroughly. Outbreaks of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) have been associated with the use of duodenoscopes even when no clear breaches in manufacturer-recommended manual cleaning and high-level disinfection have been found. We evaluate the impact of implementation of ethylene oxide (ETO) sterilization on rates of ERCP-associated CRE. METHODS: The charts of all patients who developed CRE colonization or infection between 2012 and 2018 in a large tertiary care teaching hospital were reviewed to determine whether the patient had an ERCP in the 90 days prior to the CRE culture date. Rates of CRE acquisition per 100 ERCPs performed were calculated and compared pre (ERCP performed January 2012 through February 2015) and post-implementation (ERCP performed March 2015 thru December 2018) of routine ETO sterilization of duodenoscope following high-level disinfection (HLD) with an automatic endoscope reprocessor (AER) rather than HLD alone. RESULTS: Between 2012 and 2018, 44 patients had first clinical culture with CRE within 90 days of ERCP (36% blood, 34% wound/surgical, 25% urinary and 7% respiratory sources). ETO sterilization of duodenoscopes following manufacturer recommended HLD was implemented March 2015. Rates of first CRE clinical culture within 90 days of ERCP decreased from 0.80 with HLD alone to 0.25 per 100 ERCP procedures with HLD plus ETO (unadjusted IRR 0.31 ETO vs. HLD alone, 95% CI 0.16–0.57, p-value < 0.001). This decrease occurred despite implementation of updated CLSI carbapenem breakpoints in July 2016. Figure 1 shows post ERCP CRE clinical culture trends over time CONCLUSION: Implementation of ETO sterilization for duodenoscopes following HLD reduced our rates of post ERCP CRE in clinical cultures within 90 days of the procedure. [Image: see text] DISCLOSURES: All authors: No reported disclosures.