CARBA 5 is a game-changer in effective patient management, allowing clinicians a clear and rapid understanding of which drugs will benefit patient treatment from those that will not. This allows for better outcomes and more cost-effective care, better control over potential HAI, and aids in the principals of antimicrobial stewardship. Hardy is expanding the diversity of antimicrobial resistance tests to include NG-Test® MCR-1, to detect the colistin resistance gene mcr-1, and NG-Test® CTX-M MULTI, to detect CTX-M variants when an ESBL is suspected, though both products are labeled for Research Use Only as of now. NG-Test® MCR-1 is a rapid immunoassay designed to detect the colistin resistance gene mcr-1 from bacterial colonies.
The MCR (mobilized colistin resistance) gene family— mcr-1, mcr-2, and mcr-3—are an emerging AMR threat. These genes confer plasmid-mediated resistance to colistin (polymyxin E), known as one of the last-line antibiotics for treating patients infected with multi-drug resistant Enterobacterales. NG-Test® CTX-M MULTI is to detect CTX-M variants in bacterial colonies when an ESBL is suspected. Currently, more than 170 CTX-M variants have been identified and are presently the most widespread resistance enzymes of clinical significance. All plasmid-mediated types of resistance are easily transferable within hospitals and in the community.
Identifying CTX-M ESBLs early is crucial for preventing spread of resistance genes. Although ESBLs are less common in the U.S. compared to other regions in the world, NG-Test® CTX-M MULTI is useful in cases where hospitals have a higher CTX-M prevalence within the institution or in the immediate community, as it would provide a more rapid and cost-effective tool compared to molecular detection methods.