Evaluation of two rapid phenotypical tests-Alifax rapid AST colistin test and Rapid Polymyxin NP test-for detection of colistin resistance in Enterobacterales

Abstract

Our study evaluates the performance of two rapid phenotypical tests to detect colistin resistance in Enterobacterales: Alifax rapid AST colistin test using the HB&L system and Rapid Polymyxin NP test prepared in-house. A collection of well-characterized 53 colistin-susceptible and 66 colistin-resistantEnterobacterales isolates was used. The results obtained using both rapid tests were compared to the reference broth microdilution. Overall categorical agreement was 81.5% for Alifax test and 98.3% for Rapid Polymyxin NP test. Based on our results, the Rapid Polymyxin NP test is superior to the Alifax test that performed inadequate for Enterobacter spp.

Keywords: Colistin resistance; Enterobacterales; Rapid diagnostic test; susceptibility testing.