ABSTRACT This study aims to evaluate the activity of Cefepime/enmetazobactam (FEP/META) in a Regional Hospital in southern Spain, against a collection of ESBL‐producing Enterobacteriaceae with or without carbapenemases, comparing it with piperacillin/tazobactam (PIP/TAZ) and meropenem (MER). A total of 150 ESBL‐, KPC‐, and OXA‐48‐producing strains were selected, excluding those producing metallo‐β‐lactamases. Of these isolates, 117 (78%) were from urine cultures and 33 (22%) from rectal colonization surveillance cultures. Isolates were collected between January 1, 2022, and June 30, 2024. Overall, 23% of ESBL‐producers were resistant to PIP/TAZ. Similarly, 30% of OXA‐48 producers were resistant to PIP/TAZ. FEP/META was the most active agent (7.1% of resistance) against ESBL and OXA‐48 producers' strains. KPC‐producers were all resistant to PIP/TAZ and FEP/META, while 66.7% were resistant to MER. Considering the total group of β‐lactamase‐producing bacteria, 48.67% were resistant to PIP/TAZ, compared to 6.67% to MER and 4.67% to FEP/META ( p value < 0.0001). Pairwise comparisons showed significant differences between FEP/META and PIP/TAZ, as well as between PIP/TAZ and MER ( p < 0.0001). FEP/META represents a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of infections caused by Gram‐negative bacteria resistant to third‐generation cephalosporins. It could also be an alternative to OXA‐48 carbapenemase‐producing Enterobacteriaceae.
Castellano‐Sánchez et al. (Thu,) studied this question.