SURVEILLANCE CULTURES: SCREENING OF CARBAPENEMASE PRODUCING MICROORGANISMS AND PATIENT SAFETY

Objective : to perform a carbapenemase screening in the main Gram negative microorganisms isolated from active cultures surveillance in patients of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of an emergency hospital in the city of Caruaru, Pernambuco, Brazil. Method : this is a descriptive, cross-sectional study where the samples obtained were collected following the principles described by the Ministry of Health for cultures surveillance. Results : the identification of patients colonized by carbapenemase through cultures surveillance showed a positivity of 88% of the total samples collected, with Klebsiella pneumoniae being the most frequent (31.81%). Conclusion : in addition to allowing the early identification of asymptomatic colonizers, cultures surveillance provide microbiological information on the epidemiological profile of the health unit. The high carbapenemase detection rate in this study shows the importance of performing this technique as a reinforcement measure aimed at patient safety.