Patient registries could prevent spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a global threat, and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CREs, are among the most troubling. A new study finds that tracking CRE infections through an online patient registry helps prevent further infections. Looking at some 400 health care facilities in Illinois, the authors found that even if only a quarter of the facilities used the registry, there were roughly 9% fewer patients with CRE infection. Those numbers only grew as more facilities participated: When all the facilities in the study used the patient registry, 12% fewer people had the infection, and overall prevalence of CRE dropped by close to 8%. Even facilities that didn’t participate in the program experienced a decrease in CRE over time, indicating a patient registry could be a good general public health tool.