ABSTRACT
Aims: Infections due to metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) producing Gram negative rods are a cause of high mortality and morbidity. Early detection by an economical and accurate method may improve patient outcome. This study was aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of combined disc method for MBL detection by comparing it with MBL-Etest. Methodology and Results: This cross-sectional, validation study was carried out in the Department of Microbiology, Army Medical College, National University of Sciences and Technology, Rawalpindi, over a period of six months. A total of 52 non-duplicate Gram-negative rods isolated from the routine clinical specimens and found resistant to meropenem/imipenem on Kirby Bauer Disc Diffusion method were subjected to two tests for metallo-β-lactamase detection. One was combined Disc test using imipenem with Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid (EDTA), where a strain showing an increase in zone of inhibition of combined disc of ≥ 7 mm as compared to imipenem alone, was considered as MBL producer and the other one was MBL-Etest for which results were interpreted as per manufacturer’s guidelines. Combined disc method for MBL detection was found to have a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of 97.5%, 100%, 100%, 92% and 98%. Conclusion, Significance and Impact of study: Combined disc method is an economical and reliable method for metallo-β-lactamase detection which can be used routinely in any laboratory.