Emergence of Extensive Drug Resistance (XDR) Among Gramnegative Bacilli in South Africa Looms Nearer (Issues IN PUBLIC Health) (Report‪)‬

Until recently, the term 'extensive drug resistance' (XDR) was held to be applicable to Mycobacterium tuberculosis only. It is now clear that Gram-negative bacilli are moving a step closer towards acquiring similar resistance. The emergence of multi(MDR) and pan-drug resistant (PDR) Gram-negative health care-associated pathogens has been confined to non-fermenters such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. However, increasing reports of infections due to XDR fermentative Enterobacteriaceae such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter spp. and even Salmonella spp. support the notion that' ... MDR, XDR and PDR Gramnegative fermenters might become our worst nightmare'. (1-5) The proposed definitions are as follows: MDR: resistance to 3 or more of the following 8 classes: