OREANDA-NEWS. April 08, 2016. One of the newest antimicrobial combinations, ceftazidime and avibactam, is now available on FDA-cleared microbroth dilution susceptibility plates, giving microbiology laboratories the ability to perform susceptibility testing of non-fastidious, Gram-negative isolates that cause complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), including pyelonephritis, in adults. It may provide activity against some carbapenem-resistant isolates, and it can also be used in combination with metronidazole for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI).

The Thermo Scientific Sensititre ID/AST System is the first to offer ceftazidime and avibactam on IVD-labeled, microbroth dilution susceptibility plates. With one of the largest, most up-to-date selections of FDA-cleared antimicrobials for susceptibility testing, the Sensititre System offers more than 240 antimicrobials for creating custom plates specific to one’s formulary, dilution ranges and patient population, eliminating offline tests and reducing costs. Ceftazidime and avibactam are available in the U.S. on Sensititre custom plates and will be featured on new standard plates in the future.

According to Finn Albrechtsen, vice president of R&D and business development, Thermo Fisher Scientific microbiology, “We are pleased to be the first to offer this exciting new compound to our rapidly expanding portfolio for AST, as it provides a promising new testing option to clinicians struggling to test and treat designated Enterobacteriaceae in cUTI and cIAI.”

The Sensititre System utilizes true minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) results, which are essential to understanding antimicrobial resistance, providing greater sensitivity for better resistance tracking. True MIC results are also the preferred measure of antibacterial effect, which can assist with therapeutic choices and promote overall better patient care.

AVYCAZ® (ceftazidime and avibactam, ACTAVIS, Inc.) is indicated for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) including pyelonephritis caused by the following susceptible microorganisms: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter koseri, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, Citrobacter freundii, Proteus spp., and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients 18 years or older. In combination with metronidazole, it is also indicated for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI) caused by the following susceptible microorganisms: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Providencia stuartii, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients 18 years or older.

More information on the Thermo Scientific Sensititre System can be found here, by visiting www.thermoscientific.com, or by contacting microbiology@thermofisher.com.

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