Five-Hour Detection of Intestinal Colonization with Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing Using the β-Lacta Phenotypic Test: the BLESSED Study.

Extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing (ESBL-PE) intestinal colonization is of particular concern as it negatively impacts morbidity and is the main source of external cross-contamination in hospitalized patients. Contact isolation strategies may be caught out due to the turnaround time needed by laboratories to report intestinal colonization, during which patients may be inappropriately isolated or not isolated. Here, we developed a protocol combining enrichment by a rapid selective subculture of rectal swab medium and realization of a β-Lacta test on the obtained bacterial pellet (named the BLESSED protocol).