Real-time PCR assays for the detection and quantification of carbapenemase genes (bla , bla , and bla ) in environmental samples.

In this study, we have developed real-time PCR assays using SYBR Green chemistry to detect all known alleles of bla , bla , and bla -like carbapenemase genes in water, sediment, and biofilm samples collected from hospital and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents and rivers receiving chronic WWTP discharges. The amplification of bla , bla , and bla DNA was linear over 7 log dilutions (R between 0.995 and 0.