scholarly journals EUCAST rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (RAST) in blood cultures: validation in 55 European laboratories

2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (11) ◽  
pp. 3230-3238
Author(s):  
Anna Åkerlund ◽  
Emma Jonasson ◽  
Erika Matuschek ◽  
Lena Serrander ◽  
Martin Sundqvist ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Total Error ◽  
Bloodstream Infections ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Blood Cultures ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Fine Tuning ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Disc Diffusion

Abstract Objectives When bloodstream infections are caused by resistant bacteria, rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (RAST) is important for adjustment of therapy. The EUCAST RAST method, directly from positive blood cultures, was validated in a multi-laboratory study in Europe. Methods RAST was performed in 40 laboratories in northern Europe (NE) and 15 in southern Europe (SE) from clinical blood cultures positive for Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pneumoniae. Categorical results at 4, 6 and 8 h of incubation were compared with results for EUCAST standard 16–20 h disc diffusion. The method, preliminary breakpoints and the performance of the laboratories were evaluated. Results The total number of isolates was 833/318 in NE/SE. The number of zone diameters that could be read (88%, 96% and 99%) and interpreted (70%, 81% and 85%) increased with incubation time (4, 6 and 8 h). The categorical agreement was acceptable, with total error rates in NE/SE of 2.4%/4.9% at 4 h, 1.1%/3.5% at 6 h and 1.1%/3.3% at 8 h. False susceptibility at 4, 6 and 8 h of incubation was below 0.3% and 1.1% in NE and SE, respectively, and the corresponding percentages for false resistance were below 1.9% and 2.8%. After fine-tuning breakpoints, more zones could be interpreted (73%, 89% and 93%), with only marginally affected error rates. Conclusions The EUCAST RAST method can be implemented in routine laboratories without major investments. It provides reliable antimicrobial susceptibility testing results for relevant bloodstream infection pathogens after 4–6 h of incubation.

Evaluation of standardized automated rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Enterobacterales-containing blood cultures: a proof-of-principle study

2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (11) ◽  
pp. 3218-3229
Author(s):  
Stefano Mancini ◽  
Elias Bodendoerfer ◽  
Natalia Kolensnik-Goldmann ◽  
Sebastian Herren ◽  
Kim Röthlin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Standard Method ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Bloodstream Infections ◽  
Inhibition Zone ◽  
Blood Cultures ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Disc Diffusion ◽  
Inhibition Zones ◽  
Reading System

Abstract Background Rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (RAST) of bacteria causing bloodstream infections is critical for implementation of appropriate antibiotic regimens. Objectives We have established a procedure to prepare standardized bacterial inocula for Enterobacterales-containing clinical blood cultures and assessed antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) data generated with the WASPLabTM automated reading system. Methods A total of 258 blood cultures containing Enterobacterales were examined. Bacteria were enumerated by flow cytometry using the UF-4000 system and adjusted to an inoculum of 106 cfu/mL. Disc diffusion plates were automatically streaked, incubated for 6, 8 and 18 h and imaged using the fully automated WASPLabTM system. Growth inhibition zones were compared with those obtained with inocula prepared from primary subcultures following the EUCAST standard method. Due to time-dependent variations of the inhibition zone diameters, early AST readings were interpreted using time-adjusted tentative breakpoints and areas of technical uncertainty. Results and conclusions Inhibition zones obtained after 18 h incubation using an inoculum of 106 cfu/mL prepared directly from blood cultures were highly concordant with those of the EUCAST standard method based on primary subcultures, with categorical agreement (CA) of 95.8%. After 6 and 8 h incubation, 89.5% and 93.0% of the isolates produced interpretable results, respectively, with CA of >98.5% and very low numbers of clinical categorization errors for both the 6 h and 8 h readings. Overall, with the standardized and automated RAST method, consistent AST data from blood cultures containing Enterobacterales can be generated after 6–8 h of incubation and subsequently confirmed by standard reading of the same plate after 18 h.

scholarly journals The EUCAST rapid disc diffusion method for antimicrobial susceptibility testing directly from positive blood culture bottles

2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 968-978 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Jonasson ◽  
Erika Matuschek ◽  
Gunnar Kahlmeter
Keyword(s):  
Blood Culture ◽  
Positive Blood Culture ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Reference Method ◽  
Bloodstream Infections ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Diffusion Method ◽  
Disc Diffusion

Abstract Objectives With increasing antimicrobial resistance, rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (RAST) becomes important, especially in patients with bloodstream infections. EUCAST decided to develop a standardized rapid method, based on EUCAST disc diffusion, to offer susceptibility reports within 4–8 h of a positive blood culture (BC). Methods BC bottles were spiked with clinical isolates (n = 332) of the seven most relevant sepsis pathogens with a variety of resistance mechanisms. RAST was performed directly from the bottle and zones read after 4, 6 and 8 h. Several variables were investigated, including the effect of using different BC bottles and of a 0–18 h delay between a positive signal and the performance of RAST. Results For five species, most inhibition zones could be read after 4 h. The proportion of results that could be interpreted increased from 75% at 4 h to 84% after 8 h. Categorical agreement against the reference method was good, with error rates of false susceptibility of 0.2%, 0.2% and 0.2% at 4, 6 and 8 h and false resistance of 1.2%, 0.2% and 0.1% at 4, 6 and 8 h, respectively. Conclusions With the EUCAST RAST method, reliable AST results can be delivered within 4–8 h of positivity of BC bottles for seven important bloodstream infection pathogens. To reduce the occurrence of errors and to absorb the variability caused by using a non-standardized inoculum, material from different manufacturers and workflow-related delays, we have introduced an area in which interpretation is not permitted, the Area of Technical Uncertainty.

scholarly journals Development of an In-House Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Protocol for Positive Blood Culture and Its Implementation in Routine Microbiology Laboratories

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Cao ◽  
Lin Huang ◽  
Yanyan Hu ◽  
Yinfei Fang ◽  
Rong Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Culture ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Total Error ◽  
Agar Plate ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Diffusion Method ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Clinical Strains

Bloodstream infections (BSI) are associated with high morbidity and mortality and remain a leading cause of death. Blood culture (BC) including the identification and the antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the causative microorganisms should be performed as soon as possible. In this study, we developed an in-house rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (rAST) protocol for positive BC. First, the rAST was performed in the simulated positive BC of standard strains (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853) at three different times to assess the reproducibility and operability by dispensing four drops of BC broth onto a Mueller–Hinton agar plate after a positive signal. Furthermore, the rAST was performed in clinical positive BCs. The results of rAST at 4, 6, 8, and 18 h of incubation were compared with results of the standard 16- to 20-h disk diffusion method, and the preliminary breakpoints of the rAST method were established according to the inhibition diameter of sensitive strains and resistant strains. Finally, the rAST was performed in the simulated positive BC of clinical strains to evaluate the availability of the preliminary breakpoints. The rAST results of standard strains were distributed evenly at three different times. Among the 202 clinical strains used to establish the preliminary breakpoints, the number of zone diameters that could be read and interpreted (60, 87, 98, and 100%) increased with incubation time (4, 6, 8, and 18 h), and the categorical agreement was acceptable, with total error rates of 3.0, 2.3, 2.1, and 1.3% at 4, 6, 8, and 18 h of incubation, respectively. In conclusion, the in-house rAST protocol for positive BC can be implemented in routine laboratories. It provides reliable antimicrobial susceptibility testing results for BSI pathogens after 4–6 h of incubation.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the Accelerate Pheno System for Fast Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing from Positive Blood Cultures in Bloodstream Infections Caused by Gram-Negative Pathogens

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (7) ◽  
pp. 2116-2126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Marschal ◽  
Johanna Bachmaier ◽  
Ingo Autenrieth ◽  
Philipp Oberhettinger ◽  
Matthias Willmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Culture ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Bloodstream Infections ◽  
Test System ◽  
Blood Cultures ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Bloodstream infections (BSI) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Increasing rates of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens limit treatment options, prompting an empirical use of broad-range antibiotics. Fast and reliable diagnostic tools are needed to provide adequate therapy in a timely manner and to enable a de-escalation of treatment. The Accelerate Pheno system (Accelerate Diagnostics, USA) is a fully automated test system that performs both identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) directly from positive blood cultures within approximately 7 h. In total, 115 episodes of BSI with Gram-negative bacteria were included in our study and compared to conventional culture-based methods. The Accelerate Pheno system correctly identified 88.7% (102 of 115) of all BSI episodes and 97.1% (102 of 105) of isolates that are covered by the system's identification panel. The Accelerate Pheno system generated an AST result for 91.3% (95 of 104) samples in which the Accelerate Pheno system identified a Gram-negative pathogen. The overall category agreement between the Accelerate Pheno system and culture-based AST was 96.4%, the rates for minor discrepancies 1.4%, major discrepancies 2.3%, and very major discrepancies 1.0%. Of note, ceftriaxone, piperacillin-tazobactam, and carbapenem resistance was correctly detected in blood culture specimens with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli ( n = 7) and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa ( n = 3) strains. The utilization of the Accelerate Pheno system reduced the time to result for identification by 27.49 h ( P < 0.0001) and for AST by 40.39 h ( P < 0.0001) compared to culture-based methods in our laboratory setting. In conclusion, the Accelerate Pheno system provided fast, reliable results while significantly improving turnaround time in blood culture diagnostics of Gram-negative BSI.

scholarly journals Use of the Accelerate Pheno System for Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Pathogens in Positive Blood Cultures and Impact on Time to Results and Workflow

2017 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angella Charnot-Katsikas ◽  
Vera Tesic ◽  
Nedra Love ◽  
Brandy Hill ◽  
Cindy Bethel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Bloodstream Infections ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Blood Cultures ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Clinical Microbiology Laboratory ◽  
Current Standard ◽  
Cellular Analysis ◽  
Hands On

ABSTRACT The Accelerate Pheno system uses automated fluorescence in situ hybridization technology with morphokinetic cellular analysis to provide rapid species identification (ID) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) results for the most commonly identified organisms in bloodstream infections. The objective was to evaluate the accuracy and workflow of bacterial and yeast ID and bacterial AST using the Accelerate Pheno system in the clinical microbiology laboratory. The consecutive fresh blood cultures received in the laboratory were analyzed by the Accelerate Pheno system within 0 to 8 h of growth detection. ID/AST performance, the average times to results, and workflow were compared to those of the routine standard of care. Of the 232 blood cultures evaluated (223 monomicrobial and 9 polymicrobial) comprising 241 organisms, the overall sensitivity and specificity for the identification of organisms were 95.6% and 99.5%, respectively. For antimicrobial susceptibility, the overall essential agreement was 95.1% and categorical agreement was 95.5% compared to routine methods. There was one very major error and 3 major errors. The time to identification and the time to susceptibility using the Accelerate Pheno system were decreased by 23.47 and 41.86 h, respectively, compared to those for the standard of care. The reduction in hands on time was 25.5 min per culture. The Accelerate Pheno system provides rapid and accurate ID/AST results for most of the organisms found routinely in blood cultures. It is easy to use, reduces hands on time for ID/AST of common blood pathogens, and enables clinically actionable results to be released much earlier than with the current standard of care.

scholarly journals Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Methods for Blood Cultures and Their Clinical Impact

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ritu Banerjee ◽  
Romney Humphries
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Bloodstream Infections ◽  
Blood Cultures ◽  
Clinical Impact ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Optimal Management ◽  
Testing Methods

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of bacteria isolated in blood cultures is critical for optimal management of patients with sepsis. This review describes new and emerging phenotypic and genotypic AST methods and summarizes the evidence that implementation of these methods can impact clinical outcomes of patients with bloodstream infections.

scholarly journals A Rapid Single-Cell Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Workflow for Bloodstream Infections

Biosensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 288
Author(s):  
Britney Forsyth ◽  
Peter Torab ◽  
Jyong-Huei Lee ◽  
Tyler Malcom ◽  
Tza-Huei Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Cell ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Rapid Determination ◽  
Bloodstream Infections ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Bloodborne Pathogens ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Single Cell Trapping

Bloodstream infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The rapid initiation of effective antibiotic treatment is critical for patients with bloodstream infections. However, the diagnosis of bloodborne pathogens is largely complicated by the matrix effect of blood and the lengthy blood tube culture procedure. Here we report a culture-free workflow for the rapid isolation and enrichment of bacterial pathogens from whole blood for single-cell antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). A dextran sedimentation step reduces the concentration of blood cells by 4 orders of magnitude in 20–30 min while maintaining the effective concentration of bacteria in the sample. Red blood cell depletion facilitates the downstream centrifugation-based enrichment step at a sepsis-relevant bacteria concentration. The workflow is compatible with common antibiotic-resistant bacteria and does not influence the minimum inhibitory concentrations. By applying a microfluidic single-cell trapping device, we demonstrate the workflow for the rapid determination of bacterial infection and antimicrobial susceptibility testing at the single-cell level. The entire workflow from blood to categorical AST result can be completed in less than two hours.

scholarly journals Rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing on positive blood cultures through an innovative light scattering technology: performances and turnaround time evaluation

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidvine Boland ◽  
Corentin Streel ◽  
Hélène De Wolf ◽  
Hector Rodriguez ◽  
Alexia Verroken
Keyword(s):  
Light Scattering ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Turnaround Time ◽  
Blood Cultures ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Gram Positive Cocci

Abstract Background A bacteremia diagnosis with speeded-up identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is mandatory to adjust empirical broad-spectrum antibiotherapy and avoid the emergence of multi-resistant bacteria. Alfred 60AST (Alifax, Polverara, PD, Italy) is an innovative automated system based on light scattering measurements allowing direct AST from positive blood cultures with rapid results. In this study we aimed to evaluate the system’s performances and turnaround time (TAT) compared to routine AST. Methods The study was conducted during 2 non-consecutive 3-month periods at the microbiology laboratory of the Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc. All blood cultures detected positive in the 0 AM–10 AM time frame with a pure Gram-positive cocci or Gram-negative bacilli stain were included for Alfred 60AST testing. Two customized EUCAST antibiotic panels were set up composed of 1) a “Gram-negative” panel including cefuroxime, ceftazidime Enterobacteriaceae, piperacillin-tazobactam Enterobacteriaceae, ciprofloxacine, and ceftazidime Pseudomonas 2) a “Gram-positive” panel including cefoxitin Staphylococcus aureus, cefoxitin coagulase-negative (CNS) Staphylococci and ampicillin Enterococci. Categorical agreement (CA), very major errors (VME), major errors (ME), minor errors (mE) and TAT to Alfred 60AST results were calculated in comparison with AST results obtained from direct testing on positive blood cultures with the Phoenix system (Becton Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA). Results Five hundred seventy and one hundred nine antibiotics were evaluated on respectively 166 Gram-negative bacilli and 109 Gram-positive cocci included in the studied population. During the first study period regarding Gram-negative strains a CA of 89.5% was obtained with a high rate of VME (19 and 15.4% respectively) for cefuroxime and piperacillin-tazobactam Enterobacteriaceae. Considering this, Alifax reviewed these antibiotics’ formulations improving Gram-negative bacilli total CA to 92.2% with no VME during the second study period. For Gram-positive cocci, total CA was 88.1% with 2.3% VME, 13.8% ME (mainly cefoxitin CNS) and 12% mE rates both study periods combined. Median TAT to AST results was 5 h with Alfred versus 12 h34 with Phoenix. Conclusion The Alfred 60AST system shows correct yet improvable microbiological performances and a major TAT reduction compared to direct automated AST testing. Clinical studies measuring the impact of the approach on antibiotic management of patients with bacteremia are recommended.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Guidelines for Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Bacillus anthracis-, Yersinia pestis- and Francisella tularensis-Positive Blood Cultures

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1055
Author(s):  
Ohad Shifman ◽  
Tamar Aminov ◽  
Moshe Aftalion ◽  
David Gur ◽  
Hila Cohen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Anthracis ◽  
Yersinia Pestis ◽  
Antibiotic Treatment ◽  
Francisella Tularensis ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Blood Cultures ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Disc Diffusion ◽  
European Committee

Rapid determination of bacterial antibiotic susceptibility is important for proper treatment of infections. The European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) has recently published guidelines for rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (RAST) performed directly from positive blood culture vials. These guidelines, however, were only published for a limited number of common pathogenic bacteria. In this study, we evaluated the applicability of these guidelines to three Tier 1 bioterror agents (Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis and Francisella tularensis) that require prompt antibiotic treatment to mitigate morbidity and mortality. We used spiked-in human blood incubated in a BACTEC™ FX40 system to determine the proper conditions for RAST using disc-diffusion and Etest assays. We found that reliable disc-diffusion inhibition diameters and Etest MIC values could be obtained in remarkably short times. Compared to the EUCAST-recommended disc-diffusion assays that will require adjusted clinical breakpoint tables, Etest-based RAST was advantageous, as the obtained MIC values were similar to the standard MIC values, enabling the use of established category breakpoint tables. Our results demonstrate the promising applicability of the EUCAST RAST for B. anthracis-, Y. pestis- or F. tularensis-positive blood cultures, which can lead to shorter diagnostics and prompt antibiotic treatment of these dangerous pathogens.

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