Multidrug-Resistant Organisms
Antimicrobial agents, such as antibiotics, are used to treat patients who have infections. Since the 1940s, these drugs have greatly reduced illness and death from infectious diseases. When prescribed and taken correctly, antibiotics provide tremendous value in patient care.
However, the widespread and prolonged use of antimicrobials has enabled some pathogens to develop resistance, rendering these drugs ineffective against them. The term Multidrug-Resistant Organism (MDRO) describes a pathogen that is resistant to one or more classes of antimicrobial agents. Individuals infected with an MDRO tend to have prolonged and more expensive hospitalizations, as well as a higher likelihood of health complications.
In Texas, our types of MDRO conditions are designated as reportable: Candida auris (C. auris), Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus Aureus (VISA), and Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (VRSA). The Healthcare Safety Unit gathers data on these conditions using the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS) to capture and report Texas’ notifiable MDRO data.