Antimicrobial Resistance & HCAI Testing Using Fast PCR

Detect CPE, MRSA, C. difficile, VRE, TB, Norovirus, and more, in under 90 minutes* to help support infection prevention and stewardship efforts.

 
 

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most urgent challenges facing modern healthcare. Common infections are becoming harder to treat as bacteria evolve to resist current therapies, leading to longer hospital stays, increased mortality and rising healthcare costs.

 

Fast and accurate diagnostics approaches are crucial tools in the fight against AMR and hospital-associated infections (HCAIs). Early integration of high-quality, fast diagnostic testing into acute healthcare pathways has the potential to help support antimicrobial stewardship, and infection control efforts.

 

 

Why Test With Fast PCR?

Fast and accurate PCR diagnostics with Cepheid’s GeneXpert® system provides standardised, on-demand and actionable results quickly, helping empower microbiologists, clinicians and infection preventionists.

Diagnose Rapidly

Identify pathogens and resistance markers in hours, not days, with accurate molecular diagnostics.

Support Infection Control

Help enable more appropriate isolation, with potential to support outbreak response and infection control measures.

Support Stewardship

Help enable more appropriate prescribing sooner, with potential to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and optimise case.

GeneXpert System for Fast PCR-Based AMR Testing

Our GeneXpert family of systems have set a new standard in workflow flexibility, 24/7 accuracy and user-friendly design. It is a market leader in sample-to-answer PCR diagnostic testing with the largest global molecular platform installed base and operates in over 180 countries.

 

Our platform delivers:

  • On-demand and random-access walkaway testing
  • Unique scalability and flexible design from 2 to 80 modules
  • A simplified workflow
  • Full connectivity with various LIMS

Explore all the products that can support your Antimicrobial Stewardship below.

Xpert® Carba-R

Fast Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) PCR Testing

Detection and differentiation of the “BIG 5” carbapenemase gene families in 50 minutes. In published studies, fast identification combined with quality antimicrobial stewardship measures has been associated with:

  • Improved bed and isolation management1

  • Reduced transmission and outbreaks1

  • Reduced colonisation and infection rates2

  • Minimised service disruption and costs3

Xpert C. difficile BT

Fast Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) PCR Testing

Detection of C. difficile infection with an independent call-out for binary toxin and differentiation of the 027 strain in 43 minutes. In published studies, fast identification combined with quality antimicrobial stewardship measures has been associated with:

  • Reduced empiric therapy4
  • Improved use of isolation beds4
  • Reduced hospital-acquired C. difficile5

Xpert MRSA NxG

Fast Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) PCR Testing

Detection of MRSA, including expanded coverage demonstrated using an extensive library of over 195 MRSA strains from around the world, and updated primers for both mecA and mecC strains to reduce false-positive results due to “empty cassettes”, in as soon as 47^ minutes. In published studies, fast identification combined with quality antimicrobial stewardship measures has been associated with:

  • Improved bed and isolation management6
  • Reduced MRSA infection rates7
  • Decreased overall hospital costs8

Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra

Fast Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (MTB) and Drug Resistance PCR Testing

Detection of MTB complex and rifampin-resistance associated mutations in less than 80 minutes. In published studies, fast identification combined with quality antimicrobial stewardship measures has been associated with:

  • Faster diagnostics access to support timely diagnosis and public‑health response activities9

  • Improved active case finding, limiting community transmission10

  • Reduced financial expenditures in TB suspected patients11

Xpert MTB/XDR 

Fast Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (MTB) and Extended-Drug Resistance PCR Testing

Detection of MTB complex and mutations associated with drug resistance towards  isoniazid (INH), fluoroquinolones (FLQ), second-line injectable drug (SLID) (amikacin, kanamycin, capreomycin), and ethionamide (ETH) in a single test in less than 90 minutes. In published studies, fast identification combined with quality antimicrobial stewardship measures has been associated with:

  • Increased diagnostic access and upfront molecular drug susceptibility testing (DST) for all TB-positive cases to support optimised treatment in a single visit12

  • Increased access to fast molecular DST to help notify more patients affected by multidrug-resistant TB12

Xpert vanA/vanB 

Fast Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) PCR Testing

Detection of vancomycin-resistance(vanA-vanB) genes in 48 minutes. In published studies, fast identification combined with quality antimicrobial stewardship measures has been associated with:

  • More efficient infection control surveillance programs13

  • Reduced transmission and unnecessary isolation time14

Xpert Norovirus

Fast Norovirus PCR Testing

Detection and differentiation of norovirus genogroup I and genogroup II in as little as 60# minutes. In published studies, fast identification combined with quality antimicrobial stewardship measures has been associated with:

  • Decreased turnaround time to actionable result15
  • Reduced transmission and outbreaks16
  • Reduced hospital-acquired infection costs16

 

Together, We Deliver a Better Way at Cepheid

Choose Cepheid as Your Trusted Diagnostics Partner

Over the last 30 years, Cepheid has partnered with many hospitals, clinics and laboratories around the world with more than 50,000 systems installed and millions of tests performed, changing the lives of patients.

 

With our solutions, your healthcare organisation can potentially reduce costs, streamline operations, and maximize productivity all while prioritising patient health.

 

Speak to our experts about your AMR infection diagnosis strategy

Fill the form to get more product information, and speak to our experts about your antimicrobial stewardship & infection control programme.

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CE-IVD. In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Device. May not be available in all countries.

* Turnaround times vary by test. See individual Product Inserts for specific turnaround times.

^ For positive MRSA results with early assay termination. Otherwise, full runtime is 70 minutes.

# For positive Norovirus results with early assay termination. Otherwise, full runtime is 90 minutes.

 

1. Corless C, et al. Impact of different carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales screening strategies in a hospital setting.IPIP. 2020 May;3(2):100011.

2. Zhou M, et al. Active surveillance of carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPO) colonization with Xpert® Carba-R assay plus positive patient isolation proves to be effective in CPO containment. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2019 May;14(9):162.

3. Birgand G, et al. Cost associated with implementation of a strict policy for controlling spread of highly resistant microorganisms in France. BMJ Open. 2016 Jan;6:e009029.

4. Peppard W, et al. Implementation of polymerase chain reaction to rule out C. difficile infection is associated with reduced empiric antibiotic duration of therapy. HospPharm. 2014 Jul;49(7):639-43.

5. Casari E, et al. Reducing rates of C. difficile infection by switching to a stand-alone NAAT with clear sampling criteria. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control. 2018 Mar;7(40).

6. Wassenberg et al. Costs and benefits of rapid screening of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriage in intensive care units: a prospective multicenter study. Crit Care. 2012 16(1):R22.

7. Evans ME, et al. Active Surveillance and Contact Precautions for Preventing Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Healthcare-Associated Infections During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Clin Infect Dis. 2023 Nov 17;77(10):1381-1386. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciad388. PMID: 37390613.

8. Tübbicke A, et al. Cost comparison of MRSA screening and management—a decision tree analysis. BMC Health Services Research. 2013 Dec;12:438.

9. Chakravorty S, et al. The New Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra: Improving Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Resistance to Rifampin in an Assay Suitable for Point-of-Care Testing - https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.00812-17.

10. Saavedra B, et al. Performance of Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra for tuberculosis diagnosis in the context of passive and active case finding. European Respiratory Journal 2021 58(6): 2100257.

11. Diel R, et al. Cost-benefit analysis of Xpert MTB/RIF for tuberculosis suspects in German hospitals. Eur Respir J. 2016 Feb;47(2):575-87.

12. Penn-Nicholson A, et al. Clinical evaluation of the Xpert MTB/XDR assay for rapid detection of isoniazid, fluoroquinolone, ethionamide and second-line drug resistance: A cross-sectional multicentre diagnostic accuracy study. medRxiv 2021.05.06.21256505; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.05.06.21256505.

13. Birgand G, et al. Lucet JC. Rapid detection of glycopeptide-resistant enterococci: impact on decision-making and costs. Antimicrobial Resistant and Infection Control. 2013 Nov ; 2:30.

14. Holzknecht BJ, Hansen DS, Nielsen L, Kailow A, Jarløv JO. Screening for vancomycin-resistant enterococci with Xpert® vanA/vanB: diagnostic accuracy and impact on infection control decision making. New Microbes New Infect. 2017 Jan 12;16:54-59.

15. Henningsson AJ, et al. Rapid diagnosis of acute norovirus-associated gastroenteritis: evaluation of the Xpert Norovirus assay and its implementation as a 24/7 service in three hospitals in Jönköping County, Sweden. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2017 Oct;36(10):1867-1871.

16. Cleary O, et al. Evaluation of the Xpert Norovirus assay for the rapid detection of norovirus genogroups I and II in faecal specimens within a routine laboratory setting. British Journal of Biomedical Science. 2017 Dec:74(3):144-147.

 

About Cepheid

Cepheid is dedicated to improving healthcare by pioneering molecular diagnostics that combine speed, accuracy, and flexibility. The company's GeneXpert® systems and Xpert® tests automate highly complex and time-consuming manual procedures, providing A Better Way for institutions of any size to perform world-class PCR testing. Cepheid's broad test portfolio spans respiratory infections, blood virology, women's and sexual health, TB and emerging infectious diseases, healthcare-associated infectious diseases, oncology and human genetics. The company's solutions deliver actionable results where they are needed most from central laboratories and hospitals to near patient settings.

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