Performance of quantification of Modified Hodge Test: an evaluation with Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolates.

Modified Hodge Test (MHT) has been suggested as screening tests for carbapenemases, but concerns regarding its difficult interpretation and common false-positive results obtained in the presence of other β -lactamases have been noted. This study aimed to quantify the enhanced growth formed by the indicator strain and thus evaluate the performance of a quantitative interpretation of MHT for KPC screening. MHT was performed in 50 KPC-producing isolates and 334 non-carbapenemase-producing isolates, using ertapenem (ETP) and meropenem (MEM) as substrates.

Molecular characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing isolates in southern Brazil.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae have been frequently reported worldwide. They represent a serious concern because of the limited therapeutic options. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular epidemiology of 14 Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) producers among 345 clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae with reduced susceptibility to carbapenems recovered from 11 separate hospitals in southern Brazil.