MASTDISCS Combi Carba Plus, a Simple Method for Discriminating Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, Including OXA-48-type Producers

Accurate and rapid detection of carbapenemases and identification of their types in Enterobacteriaceae are both still major challenges for clinical laboratories in attempting to prevent the intrusion and transmission of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the MASTDISCS combi Carba plus disc system in identification of different carbapenemase types, including OXA-48-type carbapenemase, for which no specific enzyme inhibitors have so far been available. The simple disc system discriminates carbapenemases, including OXA-48-types exhibiting low carbapenem minimum inhibitory concentrations, by targeting Enterobacteriaceae isolates with a EUCAST meropenem screening cut-off of ≥0.25 mg/L.