Spectrophotometry-based detection of carbapenemase producers among Enterobacteriaceae.

Carbapenem-hydrolyzing ß-lactamases are the most powerful ß-lactamases being able to hydrolyse almost all ß-lactams. They are mostly of the KPC, VIM, IMP, NDM, and OXA-48 type. A spectrophotometry technique based on analysis of the imipenem hydrolysis has been developed that differentiated carbapenemase- from noncarbapenemase producers. This inexpensive technique adapted to screening of carbapenemase producers may be implemented in any reference laboratory worldwide.