title: Use of meropenem Adatabs dissolved in MacConkey agar for screening NDM-1 positive Enterobacteriaceae in faecal surveillance cultures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Carbapenem resistance due to metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) in Enterobacteriaceae has gained much prominence in recent months. The emergence and subsequent spread of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) constitutes a potential threat in terms of the management of affected patients and institutional infection control efforts. We evaluated an in-house prepared meropenem impregnated MacConkey agar versus CHROMagar KPC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The lowest limit of detection (LLD) was compared for nine clinical isolates of NDM-1 producing Enterobacteriaceae on the above mentioned agar media.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LLD was comparable for all the nine clinical isolates on both media. The cost of the antibiotic impregnated MacConkey agar was considerably lower (US$0.39) as compared to the commercial media, while its performance remained unaltered for a period of at least 8 weeks of storage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The in-house medium proved to be a suitable and cheap alternative to the CHROMagar KPC.
authors: Department of Lab Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore. drsaugata@yahoo.com
authors: Saugata
authors: S
authors: Choudhury
authors: Kian Sing
authors: KS
authors: Chan
authors: Tse Hsien
authors: TH
authors: Koh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015780:Carbapenems / Q000494:pharmacology; D003470:Culture Media / Q000191:economics; D004355:Drug Stability; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000077731:Meropenem; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013845:Thienamycins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015780:Carbapenems; D003470:Culture Media; D013845:Thienamycins; D001618:beta-Lactamases; C552864:beta-lactamase NDM-1; D000077731:Meropenem