Ordering Guidance

This assay should be used for testing of isolates of Enterobacterales, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. If testing directly from rectal swabs is desired, order CRPCR / Carbapenem Resistance Genes, Molecular Detection, PCR, Rectal Swab.

Other mechanisms of carbapenem resistance, including other carbapenemase not targeted by this assay, porin mutations, and hyperexpression of drug efflux pumps, may result in carbapenem resistance. These mechanisms are not detected by this assay.

Additional Testing Requirements

1. Organism identification must be provided. If organism identification is unknown, concomitantly order IDENT / Organism Referred for Identification, Aerobic Bacteria.

2. If susceptibility testing is needed, also order ZMMLS / Antimicrobial Susceptibility, Aerobic Bacteria, Varies.

Shipping Instructions

1. For shipping information, see Infectious Specimen Shipping Guidelines.

2. Place specimen in a large infectious container and label as an etiologic agent/infectious substance if appropriate.

Necessary Information

Organism identification and specimen source are required.

Specimen Required

The high sensitivity of amplification by polymerase chain reaction requires the specimen to be processed in an environment in which contamination of the specimen by Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC), New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM), Verona integron-encoded metallo-beta-lactamase (VIM), oxacillin-hydrolyzing beta-lactamase (OXA-48), and imipenemase-type metallo-beta-lactamase (IMP) DNA is not likely.

Supplies: Infectious Container, Large (T146)

Container/Tube: Slant

Specimen Volume: Isolate

Collection Instructions:

1. Perform isolation of infecting bacteria.

2. Bacterial organism must be submitted in pure culture, actively growing. Do not submit mixed cultures.