Availability of ceftazidime/avibactam in healthcare institutions in Argentina: Beyond the Ideal

Abstract

Infections caused by resistant microorganisms have been a growing concern for over a decade. Among the microorganisms involved in nosocomial infections are carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), which exhibit concomitant resistance affecting several families of antimicrobials. New antimicrobial molecules have been developed to fight this threat; however, due to cost constraints, they are not widely available. Currently, the proposed regimen for treating CPE infections includes the use of β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations with non-β-lactam inhibitors (e.g., ceftazidime/avibactam -CZA-). To assess the real situation in Argentina regarding the availability of these antimicrobial agents, a survey was conducted among healthcare institutions across the country using the Google Forms platform. A total of 199 responses were collected from 19 jurisdictions across the country, with 71.4% representing public institutions. Overall, 66.8% of respondents reported not having CZA for empirical treatment, and 36.2% also lacked availability for definite therapy. A greater disparity in the availability of this antibiotic was observed when comparing the public and private healthcare systems, with significantly higher availability in the private sector. These results suggest a potential need to improve access to the recommended treatment, with a particular focus on the public healthcare system.

Keywords: carbapenemase; ceftazidime-avibactam; aztreonam; survey.