Evaluation of the New NucliSENS EasyQ KPC Test for Rapid Detection of Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase Gene (blaKPC)

KPC-type carbapenemases are emerging in Klebsiella pneumoniae and other Gram-negative pathogens worldwide. Rapid and sensitive detection of these resistance determinants has become relevant to clinical management and infection control. We evaluated the bioMérieux EasyQ real-time PCR assay for bla(KPC) detection with 300 Enterobacteriaceae, including 29 control strains producing known carbapenemases and 271 nonreplicate clinical isolates. The EasyQ assay correctly detected all the 111 isolates harboring bla(KPC) genes, with no false positives, and results were available within 2 h.