Evaluation of the Xpert Carba-R assay on carbapenemase-producing organisms in Johannesburg, South Africa

The emergence of Gram-negative bacteria resistant to carbapenem antibiotics due to the presence of carbapenemases is a major public health problem, worldwide. Carbapenemase production has been described in Enterobacterales, earning their name as Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales, as well as in non-fermenting Gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas spp., and Acinetobacter spp., referred to as Carbapenemase-Producing Organisms. The rapid spread of carbapenemases is a major threat to public health worldwide. Rapid and accurate diagnostic tests able to detect carbapenemases are crucial for appropriate antibiotic therapy as well as the implementation of appropriate infection prevention and control measures to curb the spread. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the Xpert Carba-R assay in detecting the five common carbapenemases from bacterial culture as well as rectal swabs.