The worldwide increase in the occurrence and dissemination of KPC ␤-lactamases among gram-negative pathogens makes critical the early detection of these enzymes. Boronic acid disk tests using different antibiotic substrates were evaluated for detection of KPC-possessing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates. A total of 57 genotypically confirmed KPC-possessing K. pneumoniae isolates with varying carbapenem MICs were examined. To measure the specificity of the tests, 106 non-KPC-possessing isolates (89 K. pneumoniae and 17 Escherichia coli isolates) were randomly selected among those exhibiting reduced susceptibility to cefoxitin, expanded-spectrum cephalosporins, or carbapenems. As many as 56, 53, and 40 of the non-KPC-possessing isolates harbored extended-spectrum ␤-lactamases, metallo-␤-lactamases, and plasmidmediated AmpC ␤-lactamases, respectively. By use of CLSI methodology and disks containing imipenem, meropenem, or cefepime, either alone or in combination with 400 g of boronic acid, all 57 KPC producers gave positive results (sensitivity, 100%) whereas all 106 non-KPC producers were negative (specificity, 100%). The meropenem duplicate disk with or without boronic acid demonstrated the largest differences in inhibition zone diameters between KPC producers and non-KPC producers. By use of disks containing ertapenem, all isolates were correctly differentiated except for five AmpC producers that gave falsepositive results (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 95.3%). These practical and simple boronic acid disk tests promise to be very helpful for the accurate differentiation of KPC-possessing K. pneumoniae isolates, even in regions where different broad-spectrum ␤-lactamases are widespread.

These findings indicate wide dissemination of OXA-58 carbapenemase, which contributes, at least partially, to the imipenem resistance of unrelated A. baumannii isolates in our ICU.

In our hospital, where MBL-producing P. aeruginosa were previously prevalent, meropenem resistance due to the overexpression of efflux pumps has also now emerged. Early recognition of this resistance mechanism should allow the use of alternative beta-lactams, such as ceftazidime, which would be inactive even against phenotypically susceptible MBL producers.

In 2004 and 2005, 5 metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-positive Acinetobacter baumannii isolates were found in 2 Greek hospitals. Isolates were unrelated and carried blaVIM-1 in a class 1 integron; blaOXA-51- and blaOXA-58-like carbapenemase genes were also detected. VIM-1 MBL in Acinetobacter spp. causes concern, given the increasing resistance of this species.

Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates that were positive by the imipenem-EDTA double-disk synergy test and that exhibited a single macrorestriction pattern were recovered in two distinct Greek hospitals. The isolates carried a transferable bla VIM-1 metallo-␤-lactamase gene in a class 1 integron. Reverse transcriptase PCR showed that the gene was similarly expressed in low-and high-level carbapenem-resistant isolates, indicating the existence of additional resistance mechanisms. The clonal spread of VIM-1-producing K. pneumoniae strains in distinct regions where up to now bla VIM-2 and bla VIM-4 alleles were common is worrisome.