Reporting of Antimicrobial Resistance from Blood Cultures, an Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group Survey Summary: Resistance Marker Reporting Practices from Positive Blood Cultures.

TitleReporting of Antimicrobial Resistance from Blood Cultures, an Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group Survey Summary: Resistance Marker Reporting Practices from Positive Blood Cultures.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2023
AuthorsSimner PJ, Bard JDien, Doern C, J Johnson K, Westblade L, Yenokyan G, Patel R, Hanson KE
Corporate AuthorsAntibacterial Resistance Leadership Group
JournalClin Infect Dis
Volume76
Issue9
Pagination1550-1558
Date Published2023 May 03
ISSN1537-6591
KeywordsAnti-Bacterial Agents, Blood Culture, Drug Resistance, Bacterial, Humans, Leadership, Surveys and Questionnaires, United States
Abstract

BACKGROUND: We assessed how laboratories use and handle reporting of results of rapid diagnostics performed on positive blood culture broths, with a focus on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) markers.

METHODS: A survey assembled by the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group Diagnostics Committee was circulated from December 2020 to May 2021. The survey was sent to local hospitals, shared on the ClinMicroNet and Division C listservs, and included in a College of American Pathologists proficiency testing survey.

RESULTS: Ninety-six laboratories of various sizes across the United States (95%) and outside of the United States (5%) participated. Of the laboratories that had at least 1 rapid diagnostic in place (94%), significant heterogeneity in methods used and reporting practices was found across community (52%) and academic (40%) laboratories serving hospitals of various sizes. Respondents had implemented 1 to 6 different panels/platforms for a total of 31 permutations. Methods of reporting rapid organism identification and AMR results varied from listing all targets as "detected"/"not detected" (16-22%) without interpretive guidance, to interpreting results (23-42%), or providing therapeutic guidance comments to patient-facing healthcare teams (3-17%).

CONCLUSIONS: Current approaches to reporting molecular AMR test results from positive blood culture vary significantly across clinical laboratories. Providing interpretative comments with therapeutic guidance alongside results reported may assist clinicians who are not well-versed in genetic mechanisms of AMR. However, this is currently not being done in all clinical laboratories. Standardized strategies for AMR gene result reporting are needed.

DOI10.1093/cid/ciac952
Alternate JournalClin Infect Dis
PubMed ID36533704
PubMed Central IDPMC10411935
Grant ListUL1 TR003098 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States
UM1 AI104681 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
Related Faculty: 
Lars Westblade, Ph.D.

Pathology & Laboratory Medicine 1300 York Avenue New York, NY 10065 Phone: (212) 746-6464
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