Pseudomonas aeruginosa - Modified Hodge Test (PAE-MHT) and ChromID Carba Agar for Detection of Carbapenemase Producing Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Recovered from Clinical Specimens.

Aims: This study aims to evaluate the ability of ChromID Carba agar, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa modified Hodge test (PAE-MHT) for detection of carbapenemase-producing P. aeruginosa and to determine the associated carbapenemase gene classes by PCR.

Methods: One hundred Carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (CRPA) isolates were tested for: i) carbapenemases production by ChromID carba agar, Modified Hodge test (MHT) and (PAE-MHT) and ii) detection of some carbapenemase genes by PCR.

Results: All (100%) of the isolates showed growth on ChromID Carba agar with 100% sensitivity. Using MHT, 54% of isolates were positive, 3% were indeterminate, and 43% were negative, demonstrating 58.9% sensitivity and 80% specificity. On performing PAE-MHT, 91% of the strains were positive, 3% were intermediate, and 6% were negative, demonstrating 97.9% sensitivity and 80% specificity. The most prevalent gene was blaKPC (81%), followed by blaVIM (74%); blaIMP was detected in only one isolate, and blaOXA-48 in 34% of the isolates.

Conclusions: We conclude that PAE-MHT and ChromID Carba are sensitive, specific, simple and cost-effective screening tests for detection of CRPA isolates compared to the traditional MHT.