Evaluation of the new BL-RED (β-Lactamase Rapid Electrochemical Detection) test in positive blood culture broths

New Microbiol. 2021 Jul;44(3):161-163. Epub 2021 Oct 25.

Abstract

The rapid detection of extended-spectrum β-lactamase Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) in a positive blood culture is important in order to initiate an appropriate antibiotic therapy and thus decrease mortality. We evaluated the new BL-RED (β-Lactamase Rapid Electrochemical Detection) test in 100 positive blood culture broths to detect (in ten minutes) the presence or absence of ESBL-E. The BL-RED test appears to be an easy, rapid and reliable test to detect the presence of ESBL directly in Gram negative bacilli-positive blood culture broths, with good performances (sensibility =97.3%, specificity =90.5%, predictive positive value =85.7% and predictive negative value =98.3%). This test could be useful for therapeutic decisions and adjustments of sepsis empirical antibiotic therapy, particularly in wards where the ecology is unfavorable, such as in intensive care units.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Blood Culture / methods*
  • Gammaproteobacteria / drug effects
  • Gammaproteobacteria / enzymology*
  • Gammaproteobacteria / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • beta-Lactamases / analysis*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • beta-Lactamases