Mast are pleased to announce the latest addition to the  mastdiscs® combi range – Carba plus (D73C), a simple and efficient assay for the confirmation of carbapenemase-producing-Enterobacteriaceae (CPE).

Antibiotic resistance has long been a problem that continues to increase, and as the incidence of CPE rises, the range of effective antibiotics continues to decline. It is imperative that laboratories have access to simple and successful identification methods to ensure efficient sample processing and reliable results.

The detection of CPE is difficult due to the diverse range of resistance profiles that are employed amongst differing carbapenemase enzymes. Although there are a variety of tests available for the detection of MBL and KPC enzymes, OXA-48-like enzymes continue to be problematic in their identification.

Carba plus has been developed for the simple phenotypic confirmation of carbapenemase activity amongst Enterobacteriaceae. It is a five-disc system that enables the differentiation of MBL, KPC and OXA-48-like carbapenemases produced, including reliable discrimination of KPC from AmpC producing isolates. The addition of a temocillin disc containing MBL inhibitor, rather than temocillin only disc removes the ambiguity of MBLs being incorrectly identified as OXA-48.

The mastdiscs® combi Carba plus (D73C) can be used in conjunction with mastdiscs® ID range – CAT™ID(D71C), to confirm and differentiate enzymes expressed by CPE once screened positive for carbapenemase activity. It is also compatible with Mast’s DISCMASTER™ 4 dispenser (MDD64), allowing smooth integration into the laboratory workflow.

For more detail: https://www.news-medical.net/ads/abmc.aspx?b=3002