CRE (carbapenem resistant enterobacteriaceae) are gram negative bacteria that have developed resistance to carbapenems, a class of antibiotics. Enterobacteriaceae live in the human GI tract and are a common cause of infections. CRE are resistant to nearly all antibiotics, can spread their resistance to other bacteria, and have a high mortality rate for those infected with the organism. The bacteria have been more common in large teaching hospitals in the Northeast, but are spreading across the US.

Measures to control the spread of CRE are similar to those for other resistant bacteria and include collaboration between the clinical microbiology lab and infection prevention and control to quickly identify and isolate CRE positive patients, contact precautions, hand hygiene, and judicious antibiotic use.  

For additional information, please visit the CRE page at the CDC website