Integrating an LFA Carbapenemase Detection System into the Laboratory Diagnostic Routine: Preliminary Data and Effectiveness Against Enzyme Variants
<b>Background/Objectives</b>. Carbapenemase production is the most diffused carbapenem-resistance mechanism among <i>Enterobacterales</i>, with <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> carbapenemase (KPC), Verona-imipenemase (VIM), New-Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM), imipene...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Diagnostics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/15/11/1434 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | <b>Background/Objectives</b>. Carbapenemase production is the most diffused carbapenem-resistance mechanism among <i>Enterobacterales</i>, with <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> carbapenemase (KPC), Verona-imipenemase (VIM), New-Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM), imipenemase (IMP), and oxacillinase (OXA-48) being reported as the main types within Europe. Particularly, Southern Italy holds a concerningly high percentage of carbapenemases-producing <i>Enterobacterales</i> diffused among different hospital settings. These strains may colonize critical patients’ gastrointestinal tracts, often causing disseminations and severe complications. Scientific data recently reported carbapenemase variants’ worldwide diffusion and several double-carbapenemases reports. The diagnostic routine needs devices whose detection rates are extended to similar epidemiological conditions, avoiding a lack of specificity and potential negative results. <b>Methods</b>. We planned a retrospective study including carbapenem- and/or ceftazidime/avibactam-resistant <i>Enterobacterales</i> (62) which were tested with the KPC/IMP/NDM/VIM/OXA-48 Combo Test Kit (KINVO, Medomics Medical Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China) based on the lateral flow assay (LFA) method. <b>Results</b>. We compared its results to the phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) MIC results, obtaining a 100% agreement rate. The LFA kit reported carbapenemases in all the tested strains, also identifying cases of KPC variants and double-carbapenemases production. <b>Conclusions</b>. Our data demonstrated how LFAs may represent a reliable alternative requiring minimum economic and personnel resources along with simple result interpretations. Future studies will be necessary to further investigate the system effectiveness on a larger isolates’ number and a broad carbapenemase variant spectrum. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2075-4418 |