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The little-known big problemWhat are MBLs?MBL Patient Profiles
What are Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs)? 

The world is running out of antimicrobial options:1 MBLs can hydrolyse almost all β-lactam antibiotics. In addition, available treatments are made even less effective through the frequent co-production of MBLs with serine β-lactamases (SBLs) and extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs).1–4

What happened over the last 20 years?
  • The increased prescription of carbapenems due to the expansion of extended-spectrum-β-lactamases5
  • A rapid increase of AMR, resulting in narrowed therapeutic options to successfully treat infections due to carbapenemase-producing organisms6
  • Mortality rate is as high as 67%7

Watch the videos below to understand more about MBLs:

"The most concerning class of antimicrobial resistance is that of Ambler Class B or the MBLs."

Dr Luke Moore: What are MBLs?
Watch this video to listen to Dr Moore give a definition of MBLs and explain their mechanism of resistance.

"We’re seeing these Metallo-β-lactamases in all areas of clinical practice."
 

Dr Luke Moore: The importance of surveillance data
Dr Moore interrogates why it’s so important to maintain up-to-date local and global MBL surveillance data.
 

"There are several different phenotypic and molecular diagnostics to help us identify MBLs. "
 

Dr Luke Moore: Methods of testing and diagnostics for these infections
Dr Moore examines the importance of rapid tests for detecting MBLs and the challenges that exist with current testing methods. 

Examining carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE)

    

Globally, there are 5 main carbapenemases of clinical relevance, familiarly known as the ‘Big Five’. 5,8

The production of the five ain carbapenemases is of high clinical, therapeutic ad epidemiological relevance.9,10
- They cause hospital outbreaks associated with clones and plasmid dissemination.
- Infections caused by carbapenemase-producing bacteria are associated with higher mortality rate and increased patient and healthcare associated burden.
- They can lead to multi-resistance and pan-resistance, further complicating treatment decision-making

Classification of the most relevant carbapenemases produced by enterobacterales3

Adapted from: Villegas MV, et al. 2019.9

Do you want to discover and understand more about MBLs? 
Click to hear Dr. Luke Moore explain what MBLs are and to learn about the ‘Big Five’ carbapenemases.

Understanding MBLsLoading

Are you aware of the risk factors for MBL-producing pathogens?
Learn about key patient risk factor associated with infections caused by MBL-producing enterobacterales.

View patient profilesLoading
Abbreviations:IMI, imipenemase; SME, Serratia marcescens enzymes; GIM, Germany imipenemase; SPM, Sao Paulo metallo-β-lactamase.Sader HS, et al. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2022;41:477–87.Mojica MF, et al. Curr Drug Targets 2016:17:1029–50.Boyd SE, et al. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020;64:e00397-20.Tan X, et al. Infect Drug Resist 2021;14:125–42. Henderson J, et al. J Hosp Infect 2020;104(1):12–19.Bahr G, et al. Chem Rev 2021;121(13):7957–8094de Jager P, et al. PLoS One 2015;10:e0123337Bonnin RA, et al. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021;7:616490.Villegas MV, et al. Infection 2019;23:358–68.Tamma PD, et al. Clin Infect Dis 2017;64:257–64.
PP-UNP-SGP-0302/01APR2026
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