Detection of Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacteriaceae using the Modified Carbapenem Inactivation Method

Document Type : New and original researches in the field of Microbiology.

Authors

Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University

Abstract

Background: Carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) have been reported worldwide. Resistance to carbapenems in Enterobacteriaceae is caused mainly by carbapenemase production or by porin loss combined with the expression of beta (β) -lactamases like extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) or ampicillin class C (AmpC). Objectives are to determine the prevalence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) among 202 clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae by the phenotypic test the modified carbapenem inactivation method (mCIM). Methodology: Initial screening for carbapenemase-producing isolates among the 202 Enterobacteriaceae isolates was done by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination for ertapenem by broth microdilution method. Confirmation of carbapenemase production among ertapenem-resistant isolates was done by the phenotypic test mCIM. Results: The prevalence of CRE by broth microdilution method was 36.1% and the prevalence of CPE among resistant isolates was 80.8% by mCIM. Conclusion: The mCIM is inexpensive, easy to perform, requires no specific reagents or media. It could be performed to detect CPE in Enterobacteriaceae that are non-susceptible to one or more carbapenems.

Keywords