Coined by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, this acronym refers to various multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens that frequently occur in connection with nosocomial infections. The abbreviation is derived from the following germs:
An infection with a pathogen belonging to the ESKAPE group must be detected and treated quickly to achieve positive therapy outcomes. A more recent alternative is the acronym “ESCAPE”. Klebsiella are combined with the other enterobacteria under the letter “E” and Clostridioides difficile (bacteria causing C. difficile-associated diarrhoea) under the letter “C”. This bacterium should be included in the abbreviation because of its virulence, its rapid spread and the high relapse rate after therapy.