Ceftazidime-avibactam and Meropenem Double Disk Diffusion Test for Identifying Carbapanem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae and Distinguishing Between Serine and Metallo-β-Lactamase Producing Organisms

BACKGROUND: Early detection of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae(CRE) is crucial for selection of effective treatment. While KPC is the most prevalent carbapenemase in the US, phenotypic screening methods, such as the carbapenemase inactivation method (CIM) and CarbaNP, cannot easily distinguish between serine and metallo-β-lactamases (MBL). The aim of this study was to evaluate a simple double disk diffusion (DD) test to confirm carbapenem (meropenem) resistance (MER disk) and that resistance was due to a serine carbapenemase as indicated by susceptibility to ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI disk). MBL-producing organisms are likely to be resistant to both MER and CAZ-AVI. METHODS: In total, 83 clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae were selected for the validation: 54 Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP), 16 Enterobacter cloacae (ECL) and 13 Escherichia coli (EC). All isolates were screened for specific β-lactamase genes (Checkpoints, Wageningen, Netherlands) and included KPC, OXA, IMP, VIM, NDM as well as strains with KPC and alterations on OmpK35 and OmpK36. Isolates were tested for susceptibility to MER and CAZ-AVI by disk diffusion and broth microdilution (BMD) per CLSI guidelines. Results were analyzed to evaluate suitability of the DD test to distinguish between serine and MBL-producing organisms. RESULTS: Overall correlation between disk and BMD was 97–100% for CAZ-AVI and 94–100% for MER. Among the 50 CRE that were susceptible to CAZ-AVI were strains positive for KPC, or OXA, or in combination with ESBLs. Among the 16 isolates that were resistant to both CAZ-AVI and MER were strains that produced MBLs such as IMP, VIM and NDM and included strains with alteration in OmpK35 and OmpK36. Among the 17 carbapenem-susceptible control strains all were susceptible to both agents and were positive for AmpC or ESBLs. CONCLUSION: The CAZ-AVI and MER DD test was successful in confirming CRE phenotype and in distinguishing between serine carbapenemase-producing and MBL-producing organisms. The test will be useful in screening patients in future trials to evaluate the efficacy of CAZ-AVI in global CRE studies where MBL’s are more prevalent in other geographic regions. Both disks are commercially available and can be performed in most clinical laboratories. DISCLOSURES: L. Y. Lin, Allergan plc: Employee, Salary; I. Critchley, Allergan plc: Employee, Salary; D. Melnick, Allergan plc: Employee, Salary