The number of individuals infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, commonly known as ‘superbugs,’ reached a record high of over 38,000 last year in South Korea. (Image courtesy of Kobiz Media)
SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of individuals infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, commonly known as ‘superbugs,’ reached a record high of over 38,000 last year in South Korea. This surge has prompted health authorities to assess the current state of infection management for these resistant strains.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), there were 38,155 individuals infected with Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) last year, a 25% increase from the previous year. CRE infections are particularly concerning as they are resistant to most antibiotics, including carbapenems, limiting treatment options.
The spread of CRE infections is primarily through close contact with infected patients or contaminated hands and medical equipment. They are known to cause various infections like pneumonia and urinary tract infections and have been linked to a threefold increase in mortality rates upon infection.
The KDCA has been conducting comprehensive surveillance of CRE infections since June 2017, when CRE infections were classified as a second-class infectious disease.
Since surveillance began in 2017, the number of individuals infected with CRE \ rapidly increased from 5,717 in 2017 to 11,954 in 2018, 15,369 in 2019, 18,113 in 2020, 23,311 in 2021, and 30,548 in 2022. The number has more than tripled in the past five years alone.
The KDCA expressed concern that the spread of CRE infections could lead to increased hospital stays and medical costs for patients, causing a public health crisis and socio-economic losses.
In response, the KDCA plans to launch a ‘CRE Infection Status Survey and Reduction Strategy Pilot Project’ to understand the management of CRE infections at domestic medical institutions.
This pilot project aims to establish and operate measures to prevent the spread of CRE infections, including close contact testing and surveillance systems for high-risk groups.
Discussions will also focus on strengthening isolation measures for CRE patients and supporting their transfer between hospitals, aiming to develop effective reduction strategies for application in domestic medical institutions and subsequent monitoring.
The KDCA intends to establish a sustainable response system to CRE infections through this pilot project, securing a basis for managing policies in medical institutions across the country.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
