Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in hospital wastewater: a reservoir that may be unrelated to clinical isolates

CPE are readily isolated from hospital wastewater using simple culture methods. There are either undetected carriers of CPE excreting into the wastewater, or these CPE represent colonization of the pipework from other sources. Surveillance of hospital wastewater for CPE does not appear helpful for infection control purposes within acute hospitals.