A screening strategy for phenotypic detection of carbapenemase in the clinical laboratory

Can J Microbiol. 2014 Apr;60(4):211-5. doi: 10.1139/cjm-2013-0692. Epub 2014 Feb 20.

Abstract

Nosocomial infections caused by carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae have emerged as an important challenge worldwide and represent a great limitation for antimicrobial therapy. Detection of carbapenemase in Enterobacteriaceae species also remains challenging. Although the modified Hodge test is recommended, it lacks specificity and is unable to distinguish between carbapenemase types. Here, we demonstrated a screening strategy for the phenotypic detection of carbapenemases among Enterobacteriaceae isolates in the clinical laboratory by using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and phenylboronic acid. This strategy displayed an overall 100% sensitivity and 98.6% specificity for carbapenemase detection in Enterobacteriaceae, which was superior to that of the modified Hodge test (98.0% sensitivity and 84.3% specificity), and it also discriminated the carbapenemase phenotypes of KPC-2, VIM-1, and OXA-48.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Proteins / analysis*
  • Boronic Acids*
  • Edetic Acid*
  • Enterobacteriaceae / classification
  • Enterobacteriaceae / drug effects
  • Enterobacteriaceae / enzymology*
  • Enterobacteriaceae / genetics
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / microbiology*
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Phenotype
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • beta-Lactamases / analysis*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Boronic Acids
  • Edetic Acid
  • beta-Lactamases
  • carbapenemase
  • benzeneboronic acid