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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
Acquired resistance to carbapenems mediated by carbapenemases in gram-negative pathogens such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella has become worldwide. Its detection is of utmost importance in deciding the most appropriate therapeutic regimen and for this we require a simple and inexpensive testing method. A total of 250 isolates which included Escherichia coli (113) and Klebsiella spp (137) were screened for meropenem resistance by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Modified Hodge test (MHT) and a confirmatory phenotypic detection test was done by using combined discs of meropenem alone and with those of inhibitor phenylboronic acid (PBA), EDTA and both PBA and EDTA, for the detection of carbapenemase production and differentiation of KPC and MBL enzymes. 49 (19.6%) isolates showed reduced susceptibility to meropenem. Modified Hodge test was positive in 41(83.7%) of carbapenem resistant isolates while confirmatory phenotypic detection test showed 69.4% of carbapenem resistant isolates positive for carbapenemase production. MBL activity was observed in 16 (6.4%) of the total 250 clinical isolates and KPC production was seen in 8 (7.2%). Fifteen of the total 49 CRE isolates were negative for MBL and KPC production. None of the isolates showed co-production of KPC and MBL enzymes. Our study emphasises on the need of a simple and reliable method for phenotypic detection of MBL and KPC carbapenemases for clinical as well as epidemiological purposes.