Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Epidemic on Antimicrobial Resistance: A Literature Review
Francesco Vladimiro Segala, Davide Fiore Bavaro, Francesco Di Gennaro, Federica Salvati, Claudia Marotta, Annalisa Saracino, Rita Murri, Massimo Fantoni
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is an urgent threat to public health and global development; in this scenario, the SARS-CoV2 pandemic has caused a major disruption of healthcare systems and practices. A narrative review was conducted on articles focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on multidrug-resistant gram-negative, gram-positive bacteria, and fungi. We found that, worldwide, multiple studies reported an unexpected high incidence of infections due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus, carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, and C. auris among COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit. In this setting, inappropriate antimicrobial exposure, environmental contamination, and discontinuation of infection control measures may have driven selection and diffusion of drug-resistant pathogens.