Performance of modified Hodge test on the detection of carbapenemase among Enterobacteriaceae

Objective To evaluate the performance of modified Hodge test on the detection of carbapenemases among Enterobacteriaceae with decreased susceptibility to carbapenems. Methods Fortynine Enterobacteriaceae isolates with decreased susceptibility to carbapenems ( MIC of imipenem, meropenem or ertapenem was ≥ 2 μg/ml ) were collected from 16 teaching hospitals from 2004 to 2008. MICs of imipenem, meropenem and etapenem were determined by agar dilution method. Carbapenemases were detected by modified Hodge test. Carbepenemase-causing positive results and AmpCs-causing positive results were differentiated by phenyl boronic acid and oxacillin. Beta-lactamases encoding genes including blaNDM-1were detected by PCR and sequencing. Results Thirty-six of 49 isolates were non-susceptible to imipenem (MIC >4 μg/ml), 31 were non-susceptible to meropenem (MIC > 4 μg/ml) and 47 were non-susceptible to ertapenem (MIC > 2 μg/ml). Twenty-three isolates showed positive modified Hodge test result, including 9 weak-positive results and 14 strong-positive results. Through PCR detection and sequencing, 2 out of 9 isolates showing weak-positive results carried blaKPC-2 and other 7 did not carry any carbapenemase genes but AmpCs/ESBLs genes. Among the 14 isolates showing strong-positive results, 4 carried blaKPC-2, 8 carried blaIMP-4 and 2 caried blaIMP-8. All 26 isolates with negative modified Hodge test result didn't carry any carbapenemase genes. No isolate carried blaNDM-1. Carbapenemases genes PCR detection was regarded as a gold standard, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of modified hodge test was 100%, 79%, 70% and 100% on the detection of carbapenemases among Enterobacteriaceae with decreased susceptibility to carbapenems. Conclusions Modified Hodge test revealed great sensitivity but showed a few false positive results. True and false positive results can be effectively differentiated by phynel boronic acid and oxacillin. Key words: Enterobacteriaceae;  beta-Lactamases;  Bacterial proteins;  Carbapenems; Microbial sensitivity tests