Antimicrobial susceptibility of clinical isolates collected from sites in central Europe in 2019 was tested by CLSI broth microdilution method and EUCAST breakpoints. Most active were amikacin, ceftazidime-avibactam and colistin; respectively, susceptibility rates among P. aeruginosa (n = 701) were 89.2%, 92.2% and 99.9%; difficult-to-treat (DTR) isolates, 62.5%, 37.5% and 100%; multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates, 68.3%, 72.9% and 99.5%; meropenem-resistant (MEM-R), metallo-β-lactamase-negative (MBL-negative) isolates, 72.8%, 78.6% and 100%. Among Enterobacterales (n = 1639), susceptibility to ceftazidime-avibactam, colistin and tigecycline was ≥ 97.9%; MDR Enterobacterales, 96.8%, 94.4% and 100%, respectively; DTR isolates, ≥ 76.2% to ceftazidime-avibactam and colistin; MEM-R, MBL-negative isolates, ≥ 90.0% to ceftazidime-avibactam and colistin.

• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology   therapeutic use   MeSH
• Azabicyclo Compounds MeSH
• Ceftazidime pharmacology   MeSH
• Enterobacteriaceae MeSH
• Drug Combinations MeSH
• Colistin * pharmacology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Meropenem MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa * MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Croatia MeSH
• Lithuania MeSH
• Latvia MeSH
• Hungary MeSH
• Poland MeSH

OBJECTIVES: High-quality diagnosis of bloodstream infections (BSI) is important for successful patient management. As knowledge on current practices of microbiological BSI diagnostics is limited, this project aimed to assess its current state in European microbiological laboratories. METHODS: We performed an online questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey comprising 34 questions on practices of microbiological BSI diagnostics. The ESCMID Study Group for Bloodstream Infections, Endocarditis and Sepsis (ESGBIES) was the primary platform to engage national coordinators who recruited laboratories within their countries. RESULTS: Responses were received from 209 laboratories in 25 European countries. Although 32.5% (68/209) of laboratories only used the classical processing of positive blood cultures (BC), two-thirds applied rapid technologies. Of laboratories that provided data, 42.2% (78/185) were able to start incubating BC in automated BC incubators around-the-clock, and only 13% (25/192) had established a 24-h service to start immediate processing of positive BC. Only 4.7% (9/190) of laboratories validated and transmitted the results of identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of BC pathogens to clinicians 24 h/day. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry from briefly incubated sub-cultures on solid media was the most commonly used approach to rapid pathogen identification from positive BC, and direct disc diffusion was the most common rapid AST method from positive BC. CONCLUSIONS: Laboratories have started to implement novel technologies for rapid identification and AST for positive BC. However, progress is severely compromised by limited operating hours such that current practice of BC diagnostics in Europe complies only partly with the requirements for optimal BSI management.

• MeSH
• Molecular Diagnostic Techniques methods   MeSH
• Diagnostic Tests, Routine methods   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Microbiological Techniques methods   MeSH
• Cross-Sectional Studies MeSH
• Sepsis diagnosis   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Europe MeSH

BACKGROUND: The implementation of MALDI-TOF MS for microorganism identification has changed the routine of the microbiology laboratories as we knew it. Most microorganisms can now be reliably identified within minutes using this inexpensive, user-friendly methodology. However, its application in the identification of mycobacteria isolates has been hampered by the structure of their cell wall. Improvements in the sample processing method and in the available database have proved key factors for the rapid and reliable identification of non-tuberculous mycobacteria isolates using MALDI-TOF MS. AIMS: The main objective is to provide information about the proceedings for the identification of non-tuberculous isolates using MALDI-TOF MS and to review different sample processing methods, available databases, and the interpretation of the results. SOURCES: Results from relevant studies on the use of the available MALDI-TOF MS instruments, the implementation of innovative sample processing methods, or the implementation of improved databases are discussed. CONTENT: Insight about the methodology required for reliable identification of non-tuberculous mycobacteria and its implementation in the microbiology laboratory routine is provided. IMPLICATIONS: Microbiology laboratories where MALDI-TOF MS is available can benefit from its capacity to identify most clinically interesting non-tuberculous mycobacteria in a rapid, reliable, and inexpensive manner.

• MeSH
• Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous diagnosis   MeSH
• Bacteriological Techniques MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Nontuberculous Mycobacteria isolation & purification   MeSH
• Workflow MeSH
• Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization methods   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH