Carbapenemase Producing Organism PCR screen (Sendout)

Test Information: FDA approved Cepheid GeneXpert Carba-R assay for the detection of Carbapenemase genes KPC, NDM, VIM, IMP-1 group and OXA-48 (also covering OXA-181 and OXA-232).

Ordering Requirements:

• Pre-approval required. Testing must be approved by submitter jurisdiction's Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) coordinator prior to sample submission.
• Provider must place order electronically in the WA DOH Electronic Test Order and Reporting System (ETOR).

This test is available to UW Medicine patients only.

Reference Ranges:

Detection of resistance mechanisms is restricted to the target capacity of the assay’s primers and probes. Non-detected targets does not exclude the presence of variants, or other carbapenemase genes or resistance mechanisms. Note: The detected resistance genes are rare in UW Medicine patients without identified risk factors. Carbapenemase resistance by other mechanisms is more common.

Results are for epidemiological and infection control purposes and are not to be used as the sole means for clinical diagnosis, patient management, or treatment monitoring.

Collect rectal swab using the Copan dual-swab. Insert swab in the tube’s universal transport media.

After collection, promptly submit the sample with a copy of the ARLN electronic order.

• UWMC Collections: Deliver to UW Montlake SPS (Specimen Processing Services).
• HMC Collections: Deliver to HMC Microbiology lab.
• UWNW Collections: Deliver to UW Northwest SPS (Specimen Processing Services).

Store at ambient temperature while awaiting transport.

Result-at-entry:

• RCPOSP (Carbapenemase Producing Organism PCR Screen Specimen): <enter the specimen type submitted>
  
  • For rectal swabs, enter: RS.

HMC Microbiology/UW-MT Sendouts:

• Transport samples to WA DOH at ambient temperature with a copy of the ARLN order, preferably within one day of collection. Ship as Category B.

UW-NW Cross Hospital:

• Forward samples to UW-MT Sendouts along with a copy of the completed ARLN requisition.

Stability: Ambient: Preferred. Copan dual swabs are viable for testing <5 days after patient collection.

Rejection Criteria: Using media not provided with collection kit, no approval from LHJ and/or DOH Communicable Disease Epidemiology (CDE), broken transport device, unaceptable amount of sample on swabs, specimens received at testing laboratory collected >5 days prior, requisition form/isolate discrepancies.

State of Washington Department of Health, AR Lab Network:

• Ph: 206-418-5478
• Fax: 206-364-0072
• Email: ARLN@doh.wa.gov