Implementing EUCAST rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing method for sepsis: lessons learned in a tertiary care center.

Introduction: We prospectively evaluated EUCAST rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing methodology for susceptibility testing directly from blood culture bottles in comparison to CLSI disk-diffusion method.

Methodology: During May-November 2019, positively flagged blood culture bottles showing Gram-negative micro-organisms were simultaneously processed by rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing and CLSI methodology. Antibiotics tested were cefotaxime, ceftazidime, piperacillin-tazobactam, imipenem, meropenem, gentamicin, tobramycin and trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole.