Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales or CRE, are a group of gram-negative bacteria that are resistant to “last line” antibiotics and are very challenging to treat. These microorganisms may confer their resistance via the production of a carbapenemase, an enzyme that inactivates carbapenem antibiotics.

The five most common types of carbapenemases are KPC, OXA-48-like, VIM, IMP, and NDM.

Knowing the type of carbapenemase is crucial for therapeutic purposes, infection control, and for preventing outbreaks.

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