Surveillance of Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Infections in Non-Adult Patients — Zhejiang Province, China, 2014–2019

INTRODUCTION: Antimicrobial resistance has become a major public health threat globally. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections increased substantially among inpatients under 18 years of age in recent years. In Zhejiang Province, China, the trends of drug-resistance in non-adult patients from 2014 to 2019 were monitored, aiming to determine the variation patterns and epidemiological features of MDR strains. METHODS: Patient data were collected from the Annual Review of Hospital Infection Resistance Survey in Zhejiang Province, 2014–2019. Statistical analysis was performed to analyze the pattern of distribution of five key bacterial pathogens in different age groups, ward settings, and bloodstream infections. RESULTS: From 2014 to 2019, a total of 30,163 multidrug-resistant strains were identified among 212,252 clinical isolates. The prevalence of extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were 40.6%, 2.3%, 14.7%, 9.0%, and 27.4%, respectively. The prevalence of these key pathogens was lower than that reported in the national surveillance system (China Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System and Infectious Diseases Surveillance of Pediatrics). The prevalence of ESBL-E and CRE decreased since 2015 but that of CRPA and MRSA increased from 2014 to 2018. CONCLUSIONS: Despite an overall decrease in the prevalence of drug-resistant bacteria in 2019, the rising prevalence of MRSA and CRPA still warrant much attention. Multidrug-resistant bacteria prevention and control strategies should be adjusted in a timely manner based on the surveillance results.