SUMMARYCarbapenemases have become a significant mechanism for broad-spectrum β-lactam resistance inEnterobacteriaceaeand other Gram-negative bacteria such asPseudomonasandAcinetobacterspp. Intestinal carriage of carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPOs) is an important source of transmission. Isolation of carriers is one strategy that can be used to limit the spread of these bacteria. In this review, we critically examine the clinical performance, advantages, and disadvantages of methods available for the detection of intestinal carriage of CPOs. Culture-based methods (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] protocols, chromogenic media, specialized agars, and double-disk synergy tests) for detecting carriage of CPOs are convenient due to their ready availability and low cost, but their limited sensitivity and long turnaround time may not always be optimal for infection control practices. Contemporary nucleic acid amplification techniques (NAATs) such as real-time PCR, hybridization assays, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), or a combined culture and NAAT approach may provide fast results and/or added sensitivity and specificity compared with culture-based methods. Infection control practitioners and clinical microbiologists should be aware of the strengths and limitations of available methods to determine the most suitable approach for their medical facility to fit their infection control needs.
Our findings reveal the "silent" dissemination of bla(KPC-3) as part of Tn4401b on a mobile plasmid in Northeast Ohio nearly a decade ago and establish the first report, to our knowledge, of K. pneumoniae containing bla(KPC-3) in an LTCF caring for neurologically impaired children and young adults.
This pilot study has successfully demonstrated the feasibility of using telehealth to support antimicrobial stewardship at rural VAMCs with limited access to local infectious disease expertise.
Staphylococcus intermedius and Staphylococcus
pseudintermedius are difficult to distinguish using conventional
microbiological methods. Molecular diagnostic tools change our understanding of the
epidemiology of these 2 organisms. In this study, we present (1) a detailed review of
the current literature on molecular diagnostics and (2) a case series in which
misidentification was proven in 1 case. We conclude that S
pseudintermedius is a more common human pathogen than previously
recognized.
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