Development and field evaluation of a method for detecting carbapenem-resistant bacteria in drinking water

Windy D Tanner; James A VanDerslice; Devinder Toor; L Scott Benson; Christina A Porucznik; Ramesh K Goel; Robyn M Atkinson

doi:10.1016/j.syapm.2015.03.010

Development and field evaluation of a method for detecting carbapenem-resistant bacteria in drinking water

Syst Appl Microbiol. 2015 Jul;38(5):351-7. doi: 10.1016/j.syapm.2015.03.010. Epub 2015 May 2.

Authors

Windy D Tanner¹, James A VanDerslice², Devinder Toor³, L Scott Benson⁴, Christina A Porucznik⁵, Ramesh K Goel⁶, Robyn M Atkinson⁷

Affiliations

¹ Division of Public Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, 375 Chipeta Way, Suite A, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA; Utah Public Health Laboratory, Utah Department of Health, 4431 South 2700 West, Taylorsville, UT, USA. Electronic address: windy.tanner@utah.edu.
² Division of Public Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, 375 Chipeta Way, Suite A, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA. Electronic address: jim.vanderslice@utah.edu.
³ Amity Institute of Virology and Immunology, Amity University, J-3 Block, Amity University Campus, Sector - 125, Noida - 201303, Gaulam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. Electronic address: dtoor@amity.edu.
⁴ Division of Public Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, 375 Chipeta Way, Suite A, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA. Electronic address: scott.benson@hsc.utah.edu.
⁵ Division of Public Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, 375 Chipeta Way, Suite A, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA. Electronic address: christy.porucznik@utah.edu.
⁶ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Utah, 110 Central Campus Drive, Suite 2000, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Electronic address: ram.goel@utah.edu.
⁷ Utah Public Health Laboratory, Utah Department of Health, 4431 South 2700 West, Taylorsville, UT, USA. Electronic address: RMATKINSON@utah.gov.

PMID: 26032248
DOI: 10.1016/j.syapm.2015.03.010

Abstract

In this study, a fluorogenic heterotrophic plate count test for drinking water was modified in order to detect the presence of carbapenem-resistant bacteria. Antimicrobial agents and concentrations were selected based on recoveries of known carbapenem-resistant and carbapenem-susceptible strains inoculated into simulated samples. The modified method was field-tested on 19 drinking water samples from the New Delhi, India distribution system. Samples exhibiting fluorescence indicated bacterial growth in the presence of the supplemented antimicrobial agents, and organisms from these samples were cultured. Twenty-one Gram-negative isolates were identified from nine of the 19 samples and the meropenem minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined. Ultimately, eight carbapenem-resistant organisms were isolated from five sampling sites within the New Delhi water distribution system.

Keywords: Antibiotic resistance; Carbapenem resistance; Drinking water; Method; New Delhi; Water testing.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
Bacteriological Techniques / methods*
Carbapenems / pharmacology*
Culture Media / chemistry*
Drinking Water / microbiology*
Gram-Negative Bacteria / enzymology*
Gram-Negative Bacteria / isolation & purification
India
beta-Lactam Resistance*

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Carbapenems
Culture Media
Drinking Water