While Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) emerged as the top management priority due to a 30-day mortality rate of 16.9% and an average treatment cost of 46 million won per case, the data revealed that only 5% of surveyed institutions employ dedicated infection control physicians.
The joint research team analyzed 49,651 hospitalized patients across 21 hospitals during four separate point-prevalence surveys conducted in April, July, and October of 2024, alongside January 2025. Out of the total patient population, 3,226 individuals carried multi-drug resistant pathogens, resulting in a carriage point-prevalence of 6.50%, while actual infections appeared in 709 patients for a 1.43% infection rate. CRE led the carriage rates at 1.79%, closely followed by Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) at 1.73% and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at 1.59%. In contrast, actual infections were most frequent with MRSA at 0.53%, followed by CRE at 0.30% and VRE at 0.23%.
Financial and clinical metrics painted a heavy toll across multiple pathogen types. VRE recorded the highest 30-day mortality rate at 18.6%, followed by CRE at 16.9% and MRSA at 12.4%. However, research lead Song Kyung-ho noted that these figures reflect overall mortality driven by underlying conditions and complex infections rather than direct attributable deaths. When measuring financial impact, VRE cases demanded the highest median medical costs at 59 million won, with Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MRAB) reaching 55 million won and CRE costing 46 million won per patient.
Institutional Disparities in Isolation and Monitoring Systems
Despite uniform placement of infectious disease specialists across all 21 participating hospitals, isolation protocols and dedicated staffing varied significantly by institution and pathogen. While all surveyed facilities isolated patients with Carbapenemase-producing CRE in regular wards and intensive care units, only eight hospitals enforced isolation procedures for MRSA. Furthermore, institutions maintaining separate physical isolation spaces ranged between 10% and 30%, and only a single hospital operated a dedicated environmental management team for resistant pathogens.
Song Kyung-ho emphasized that these findings underscore an urgent need for systematic national interventions, including regular large-scale prevalence tracking, standardized clinical information transfer systems for pathogen carriers, and direct financial backing for active surveillance and isolation protocols. Lim Seung-kwan stated that the agency plans to link CRE reduction goals with national tasks to expand early screening support, standardize environmental management, and reinforce regional response networks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hospitals participated in the multi-drug resistant organism burden study?
The research evaluated 49,651 hospitalized patients across 21 nationwide hospitals through four point-prevalence surveys conducted between April 2024 and January 2025.
Which pathogen recorded the highest treatment cost per patient case?
VRE recorded the highest median medical cost at 59 million won per infection, followed by MRAB at 55 million won and CRE at 46 million won.
What specific measures is the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency implementing in response?
The agency plans to strengthen early screening tests, standardize isolation and environmental management support, and expand infection control personnel through regional medical networks.
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